Always Gold
by LucyLuna
Summary: Severus Snape II dreamt of the day his mother would tell him who his father was. He knew his life would become more complicated once he knew the man's name, yet Severus was certain it would be worth it – if only so the puzzle of where he came from would be completed. When Severus was told, however, problems he couldn't have foreseen arose. AU. Part XVI of Family Branches.
1. 2009

_Always Gold_

* * *

He was curled on his side with one foot stuck out past the dust ruffle allowing light beneath the bed to dimly illuminate the photos in his mother's childhood photo album. There were only a couple of her as a baby, but many of her, Uncle Sev, Aunt Edie and cousins starting from when she was a toddler until she was maybe fifteen. After that, the pictures tapered off again into nothing and not one held Lottie's face. He hadn't understood why that was when he was younger, but now that he was eleven, he realized they'd stopped taking photos except for on special occasion after they lost his cousin.

There was another, thinner album tucked above his head between the mattress and bed frame that held almost a year's worth of photos from when his mum was pregnant with him. A lot of them featured his cousins and aunt, but few of the uncle he was named for. When he was in the pictures, he looked exhausted and burdened. From the stories he'd heard and begun to read, it was no wonder his namesake looked like he was carrying all of Hogwarts on his shoulders – he nearly had been. They cut off shortly before he was born and only in the very last photo did he feature at all as a wrinkly-faced bub. Severus occasionally looked at that one too, but, by far, he preferred to look at his mother's childhood album. She used to smile _so much_. Really smile, not just curve her mouth into small, closed-lip bow.

Sometimes, he thought he may have liked her for a mate when she was a girl like he was a boy now. The stories his Aunt Edie and cousins told him often confirmed that thought. She'd been brave, cheeky, and fun. Not at all the nervous Nellie he knew her to be now.

" _Lottie, Sev'rus… Their deaths changed yehr mum. She frets 'cause she doesn' wan' ter lose anyone else like she los' 'em._ "

Severus heard the doorknob to the room begin to turn. He yanked his foot underneath the bed, closed the album, and put it up next to the other one. The ruffle fluttered from a gust caused by the opening of the door. A moment later he saw the silver metal tips of his mother's boots through the gap between the dust ruffle and the floor. Then they turned away so he could see the worn-down heels of her shoes. The bed sagged and he held his breath.

"Are you going to come out or do I have to crawl underneath there like when you were at my hip?"

He scowled before scooting out from beneath the bed. His mother rolled her eyes at him when she saw his face. "If you don't want me to find you, find a better hiding place," she chided.

Severus didn't say anything in favor of dropping down next to his mother on the bed and crossing his arms. They sat in silence for a time. Then his mother's hand came to rest atop his head. Absently, she twisted and tweaked his short brown locks. In spite of himself, Severus leaned into the touch. As he basked in his mother's kind touch, he took in her and his cousin's old childhood bedroom. His Aunt Edie had assured him numerous times over the years that the room was more or less exactly as it was when his mother was a child – if far neater.

The quilts on the beds were the exact ones his mother and cousin Eileen used to sleep beneath when they were his age, the landscapes of Hogsmeade, Hogwarts and its grounds stuck on the wall behind Eileen's bed were in the same arrangement she put them in over her adolescence. The small bowl of oddly shaped rocks on his mother's bedside table were all collected by her when she was littlie shortly after she had come to live at Hogwarts. Severus liked to spend time in here. It, perhaps more than the photos, made him feel close to the girl his mother used to be.

"You should come out now," his mother said. "Marcus and Karen have woken up from their nap and I'm sure they would like to play with their big cousin."

Severus shifted his gaze to the bed. "Okay…"

His mother continued to pet his hair. "Every time we visit Edie you come in here to look at the albums. Would you like to take them home with us?"

He thought about the question. Would he? Severus didn't think so. He liked looking at them here in his mother's old room because then Severus could almost feel his girl-Mother sitting just above him painting her nails or reading a book or playing exploding snaps with one of his cousins. He wouldn't be able to anymore if the albums were on the bookshelves in his bedroom at home.

"No," he replied.

She was quiet for another moment. "Why do you like looking at them so much?"

Severus shrugged his shoulders and gave a half-truth. "To see how much I look like you and the cousins when youse were my age." Bitterly, he muttered, "It's always hardly at all."

"That's not true," his mother protested. "You have my eyes…" she tapped his nose, drawing his gaze to her. "And that's the Snape beak you have there; you must never tell your cousin Esther, but it suits you far better than it ever has her," she teased.

He smiled a moment, but it quickly faded. "Are you ever going to tell me who my Dad is?"

The little bit of mischief that had come to his mother's countenance disappeared instantly. "Someday," she answered evasively.

"I'll be eleven in a week and I start at Hogwarts in the fall, I'm not a littlie anymore."

His mother snorted. "I didn't know eleven was when you became a man now."

"Mum, you know what I mean," he huffed.

She sighed. "It's not that I don't want you to know, Severus–"

"–If that were true, you would _tell me_ who he was."

Her fingers grasped his chin, forcing him to meet her identical black gaze. "It's for you I don't say. He isn't…" she dropped his chin and looked away. "He isn't _good_."

"Then why did you have sex with him?" Severus asked in bewilderment. His mother had never told him his dad wasn't good before.

She looked at him through her fingers. "You're right that you're getting older and that's why I'm telling you this now – even if I won't share his name. I had sex with him because we were bladdered and hardly remembered our own names let alone what side of the war we were on when we locked ourselves in the pub's lav for a quick shag." Voice muffled by her hands, she told him, "Us being pissed beyond belief is the very reason you're here, protection was also something we forgot."

Severus's cheeks burned with embarrassment. He always knew he had not been planned for, but was alright with it as his mother always called him a "surprise" and a "gift", not a "mistake" or an "accident". Severus may not have been deliberately made like his wee cousins Marcus and Karen or their soon-to-be little sibling, but he'd been wanted and loved in the end.

An uncomfortable idea came to him. "Does my dad even know I exist?"

"I told him after the war and before we moved to Australia," his mother explained. "He wasn't… He was not interested in being a father to you."

"Oh," he whispered, blinking his eyes rapidly.

His mother brought him close once more and kissed his forehead. "It's his loss, sweet, not yours."

Severus nestled his face into the space where her neck and shoulder met. "Thanks, Mum." He bunched a hand in the fabric of her skirt. "For telling me this too. Love you."

"I love you too, Severus."

* * *

 **So this is very far-flung into the future. It's more prepared and written than the more direct follow-up I have to _Summer Skeletons,_ so I'm uploading the first chapter now.**

 **I hope you liked this first chapter and thank you for reading :)**


	2. September, 2011

_Always Gold_

* * *

Severus felt as if he'd taken a trip into the past with a time-turner when he laid eyes on the ickle Slytherin firstie. The boy, a redhead with an overlong fringe that obscured most of his face, was pressed up against a wall by a pair of Hufflepuffs who appeared to be spouting some bloody bullshit at the kid. From the gaps between the two Hufflepuffs' bodies, Severus saw the firstie was clenching and unclenching his hands. It seemed to him the kid lost his wand at some point, but if the Hufflepuffs kept up their crap he'd take a Muggle turn and smack one of them in the teeth or head.

He'd gotten pestered a time or two as a firstie, mostly by upper-years in Slytherin (who didn't like him for his family's role in the war) and once by a Gryffindor (who didn't like his namesake from the tales his parents told him of their schooldays), but after Severus showed he had balls and would fight back with hands, feet, and teeth if need be, they shoved right off and left him alone. Severus considered turning a blind eye to the group and letting the kid teach the Hufflepuffs the same lessons he taught his housemates and that Gryffindor tosser, but felt reluctant to. A number of his yearmates were still leery of him, years after the fact, from seeing just how ruthless he could be in the right situation.

Sometimes, Severus wondered where that mercilessness came from. Aunt Edie said it was a Snape trait. She'd seen glimpses of it in Severus and his mother, especially when they were angry, unhappy, or felt threatened and knew it had run unchecked in his grandfather from the stories his uncle told her about the man. Severus thought it was a reasonable explanation as any, and his mother was always quick to corroborate, but, still, he wondered. Could it be his father had the same ferocity as he? Could it be him the trait came from, not his Snape blood?

Slowly his musings about himself died away and turned to ruminations on this poor kid's future. Severus didn't like the idea of the boy being held with weary regard for years to come for finishing things he didn't start, as Severus was. Pulling out his wand, Severus spun it between his fingers before he shot off a jelly-leg jinx at one of the Hufflepuffs and used his namesake's signature levicorpus on the other. Swaggering over, he asked the kid, "You alright?"

Eyes watchful, he nodded. Severus turned his attention to the Hufflepuffs; the one under the jelly-leg was reaching for his wand, which he had dropped under the shock of being jinxed from behind. Severus kicked it away from him and then looked over at the one hanging upside down in the air. His face was getting redder by the second. "Where's his wand?" he demanded.

The one on the ground cussed and lunged clumsily at Severus. He gave that wanker a swift foot to the gut and repeated, "Where's the kid's wand?"

As the one he kicked whinged about his poor little stomach, the Hufflepuff hanging upside down went cross-eyed and pointed at the wand that had rolled a bit away when he was flipped upside down. Severus went and picked it up. He handed it to the kid and then returned his attention to the Hufflepuffs. He had no intentions of canceling his jinxes on either (he wasn't looking to start a two-on-one fight with them involving magic), but he would let them know the counter to his namesake's spell, because, otherwise, the pair were likely to break the one's neck trying to put him right on the ground.

He points at the Hufflepuff in the air and said to the one on the ground, "The counter-jinx is liberacorpus."

"Prick," he spat at Severus.

In return, he just rolled his eyes. Gesturing for the firstie to come with him, he asked, "What's your name?"

The boy's eyes flashed with surprise at the action and question, but he came over to Severus's side and trotted alongside him easily as Severus took them in the direction of the dungeon. "Rowan Montague," he answered.

Severus gave him his hand. "Severus Snape," he returned. As he shook Rowan's hand, he said, "Nice to meet you."

Rowan crinkled his nose. "You sound off," he said.

He found himself sighing. If it wasn't his uncle, it was his accent Hogwarts populous had to remark on. "I'd 'spect so," Severus agreed. "I grew up in Straya."

"What?"

"Straya," Severus repeated, trying very hard not to let his irritation leak into his tone. It got old explaining Australian slang to poms. "It's what Aussies call Australia."

"Are you an Aussie? Why are you going to Hogwarts then?" Rowan asked in rapid-fire, interest obviously piqued.

Severus began to wonder if this kid wasn't drongo. He'd said his name was Severus Snape, hadn't he? "I was born here," he said. "But, yeah, I s'pose I consider myself an Aussie. And are you thick? What kind of question is that? My uncle was a headmaster, my aunt's the librarian, and my Mum went here, why _wouldn't_ I be going to Hogwarts?"

Rowan went as red as his hair. "Um, I guess that makes sense…" he muttered. "I just reckoned there'd have to be a big reason to send you all the way to Scotland when you could go to school close to your home. My aunt who lives in Canada plans to send my cousin to Ilvermorny when she's old enough instead of here."

He pursed his lips. Well, if that was how it was in Rowan's family, was it really a wonder he was confused why Severus was attending Hogwarts? No, it wasn't. He had probably been a bit too waspish in his response, he realized. Severus wasn't really one to apologize, but he did try and show he was sorry for being so terse with the kid. He put a hand on Rowan's back and asked him, "Say, have you ever seen any pictures from Straya? I've got heaps of photos on the wall behind my bed and in my trunk."

Rowan raised his gaze to meet Severus's and shook his head. "No, not really."

Severus grinned at him. "Well, c'mon then. You got a lot to see!"

The firstie still looked utterly miffed at Severus's change of tone and conversation, but agreed all the same, "Okay."

In response, Severus laughed. He was gonna make sure this kid was all smiles by the time he was done with him.

-o-O-o-

Severus didn't know when it happened exactly, but he and Rowan ended up becoming mates. After what he did for the kid, Rowan seemed to decide they were friends and dogged his every step until Severus sort of forgot what it was like not to have the firstie on his heel. He didn't even mind once he caught on to what the boy was doing, he liked Rowan. The kid didn't talk heaps, but that suited Severus just fine; he did most of it for them.

Sometimes, he'd get odd looks from his good friend and godbrother, Teddy, but Severus didn't give it too much credence. Teddy usually had his own little ghost following him around in the form of Victoire Weasley. At least the brat following him around didn't give him doe-eyes whenever his back was to him (he hoped. Severus might like a square jaw and the outline of cock in a tight pair of pants a little more than the next wizard, but he sure as Hell didn't think of Rowan that way – nor would he ever). Even so, Teddy appeared to become concerned enough with his new mate to invite him out one night to the Quidditch pitch to talk and set off some (contraband) fireworks.

He agreed, of course. Severus liked fireworks and felt reasonably certain they could get away from the adults who would come to investigate the commotion without any trouble. They'd gotten out of similar mischief before, after all.

-O-

Helping Teddy to set up the fireworks in one of Gryffindor's stands, he asked, "So, Teddy, what do you wanna have a chin-wag about?"

His friend and godbrother's hair took a yellowish tinge in the dark, as he'd always known it to when he was tickled. "You would think you'd sound more British after two, almost two and a half, solid years here."

Severus shrugged. Yeah, maybe if he was planning to stay in Britain when he graduated. However, he wasn't. He liked it here just fine, but it didn't feel like home the way Australia did. "I don't want to sound too pommy when I finally move back to Straya for good."

Teddy laughed like he was having a lark with him. Severus wasn't, but figured Teddy would realize that eventually and there was no benefit to pointing it out now. It would probably just upset him. When Severus announced he'd be going to Hogwarts with Teddy his godbrother had confided in him he hoped Severus would fall in love with Britain and stay forever after so they could be as close as real brothers.

Severus wouldn't mind being that close to Teddy either; their similar sense of humor and passion for Quidditch certainly made it easy to feel like they could be as close as true brothers. However, he had no interest in staying in Britain longer than he had to. He was going to Hogwarts for his mum and family, not because it was what he wanted.

Now finished with their set up, Teddy took a seat down on the nearest bench and gestured for Severus to sit down next to him. Easily, he joined his godbrother on the bench. The two of them were quiet a moment, just taking in the boundless black sky above them. Severus still felt like he was on a foreign planet when he looked at Scotland's nighttime sky, it felt so different to home's. When Teddy finally began to speak, it was slow and halting. "Severus… That kid you've… befriended… you know his Great Uncle and Aunt are Amycus and Alecto Carrow, don't you? I'm pretty sure his own Dad was a secret Death Eater too."

He tried to not show his amusement. "Yeah, I know," he replied. "I just don't think much of it. Heaps of Slytherins got Death Eater or Voldemort sympathizer rellies. So far, he's been a dinkum mate. Till he proves otherwise, I'm gonna be his friend."

His friend nodded his head. "I understand, it's just… The Carrows were _horrendous_. You should hear some of Aunt Ginny or Uncle Neville's stories." Teddy shivered. "It's hard not to worry he's got some of them in him and it's just a matter of time before it'll show."

Severus patted Teddy's back. "I 'preciate you caring, but she'll be apples." He licked his lips and considered if he really ought to share what he was thinking or keep quiet – if only for his mother's sake. He had a feeling she hadn't shared with many who his father was. "Say, Teddy, d'you know my dad's one of 'em Death Eaters or sympathizers?"

His friend lifted his gaze, eyes cartoonishly large with his shock. "What?"

He nodded. "Yeah, Mum told me a couple years back now. I guess she was pissed and so was he and they had a shag in a loo, and, nine months later, there I was."

Teddy furrowed his brows. "Do you know his name? Does he know about _you_?"

Severus shook his head and then nodded. "Mum's not said much more since, 'cept I take after him more'n her." He rolled his eyes. "As if that wasn't obvious."

It was his friend's turn to offer comfort in the form of a strong side-embrace. "I'm sorry, Severus. That's awful."

"It's not all bad," he replied. "I make a good lesson. Just 'cause my dad's a bad bloke, doesn't mean I am too." He pulled away and met Teddy's gaze. "And just 'cause Rowan's rellies are sadistic arseholes doesn't mean he's a secret one either."

Teddy had the decency to look a bit ashamed. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"No worries," replied Severus. "I'm happy you came to me instead of making a big scene in front of all of Hogwarts or something."

"Still," he insisted.

Severus waved him off and turned his attention to the fireworks. Offering his friend a cheeky grin, he asked, "Shall we?"

Fifteen minutes later, the sky was full of rainbow hues of fire and they were racing away from an irate Filch and his new cat, Mrs. Dorian. By the time they got back to the castle, they were falling over one another in their laughter and had to flee again when they almost got caught by Professor Sinistra on their way to the dungeons and their dorms.

When Severus finally did make it back to his common room, he was still wearing a smile, and all of his dreams were sweet when his head finally met his pillow and his eyes fell shut.

* * *

 **How do you like the chapter? Severus's friendships?**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. October, 2011

_Always Gold_

* * *

"And that's how my mum and Harry became friends," Severus finished. Shifting his weight to one arm, he used his now free hand to move his knight on the chess board and capture one Rowan's pawns. He had no idea why or how his friend had gotten his hands on a Muggle chess board, but Severus had no qualms about playing with it. As fun as it was to watch the wizard pieces murder each other, he'd always found it to be distracting from the game himself and, he figured, why he always lost when he played it. "Ha," he exclaimed, grinning at the firstie. "Got you!"

Rowan appeared utterly unperturbed by this; his head resting in both his hands and gaze fixed on Severus instead of the board. Instead of turning his attention to the board to figure out his next move, the firstie asked, "Don't you ever get tired of hearing your own voice?"

Severus blinked, uncertain if he should be offended. Rowan sounded earnest, not passive-aggressive. "Huh?" he replied.

The boy went pink. "My father is like you, he talks for _hours_ about anything and everything. I can't ask him, though, if he gets tired of doing all the speaking; the one time I tried my mother stopped me and scolded me for trying to disrespect him."

He relaxed. The question _was_ innocent. Severus grinned and shrugged. "I should, shouldn't I?" He picked up on of the pieces he captured earlier and waved it around. "My mum's told me before people don't like an earbasher and I should ask people questions about themselves, but…" He winced. "I forget to. If _you_ ever get tired of listening to me, just tell me to shut up, I won't be upset."

Rowan shook his head. "I just wanted to know," he assured him. "I like listening to you. You have interesting things to say." He dropped his gaze to the game board and began to fiddle with his queen. "Unlike me."

Severus felt indignant on his mate's behalf. "I'm sure that's not true," he assured. "I know you're Pureblood, so where'd you get this Muggle chessboard from?"

Rowan shifted uncomfortably and looked around as if he was afraid someone might overhear. Severus feared the boy stole it and began to weigh the pros and cons of scolding him and just getting up and leaving. Before he could make a decision, Rowan told Severus, "Do you know Milly Wilson? The Muggle-born who insists she's a Half-Blood? I traded mine for hers; she looked so sad that everything she has is so Muggle and… I don't know, Mother and Father can always buy me another board."

"I do know her and she is a Half-Blood. It's just as she said, her mum left her and her dad when she was a littlie," Severus asserted.

The boy gaped. "How do you know she's not lying?" he demanded as he leaned in with interest – once again making Severus be the one to speak, rather than listen. It was starting to seem to Severus it was more than just him like the sound of his own voice; Rowan preferred to listen far more than he cared to speak.

"She gave Prof Sinistra some letters that belonged to her mum in hopes Sinistra'd be able to piece together from what's there who her mum might be," he answered. Rolling onto his back, Severus pillowed his head atop his arms and continued, "I was waiting for my Aunt in her quarters when she and Sinistra came in. Since they didn't notice me right away, I got to hear all about it. Sinistra had a few ideas of her own, but wanted Aunt Edie to talk to my cousins to get some more ideas about who Wilson's Mum might be." He looked over the half-played chess game at the fascinated Rowan watching him. "I don't know if they'll even tell her when and if they do find out. It sounds like they want to talk to her dad first to make sure they don't step on any toes."

"That's mad!" exclaimed Rowan.

Severus hummed. Perhaps it was, but no more mad than his own mum withholding his dad's name from him. "You can't go spreading this around," he warned Rowan. "It's not anyone's business but Wilson's."

The kid nodded. "A'course!"

He grinned. "Ace! Now, make your next move before this game gets stale."

-o-O-o-

 _Dearest Darla,_

 _How are you? Well, I hope. Are you still seeing that nice tailor you mentioned in your last letter? Or have you moved onto another fellow? And how goes your latest batch of healers-in-training? Are they rising to the occasion? If you have time, I would greatly appreciate a fire-call. We've got a bit of a mystery on our hands at Hogwarts and all of your nieces agree you are probably the most qualified to help me solve it._

 _Your son is still a not-so-exemplary student, but he's keeping up on his work so far and I have high hopes we can finally break him of the habit of putting off everything until the last minute this year. He and Teddy took their first Hogsmeade trip together this weekend and came back with more joke and prank_  
 _paraphernalia than either has a right to have, but I haven't heard any specific complaints about them lately, so if they are getting up to mischief, they're managing to evade Filch and anyone else who might be in the vicinity when they commit their pranks._

 _Severus appears to have made a new friend this year as well. I don't know if he's mentioned him, or, if he has, said much at all, but he's a good lad. Quiet, Merlin, it gives me a start to hear him speak sometimes (but with a friend like your son, not really a surprise), and loyal. Severus's new friend is always at his side, a true right-hand man in the making; he has the warmest brown eyes, and they are always tracking your son's movements._

 _I would say the lad has a heart full of hero-worship for your boy. I've tried a time or two to ask why his new friend hangs on his every word, but Severus smiles that crooked little grin of his – the one that makes me always think of Lottie – and changes the subject. You've always been the only one who can pull out a tale he's reluctant to share from him and I expect this time will be no different. Perhaps you'll share it? I'm sure it's quite the story._

 _This new friend's name is Rowan Montague. I hear he has a little brother at home too, one that will be at Hogwarts just in time to see Severus graduate. I know you wanted to wait until Severus was grown and more than capable of defending himself before you speak his father's name, but I don't think you are going to have that luxury, Darla. Severus's won't spare a glance for a lass, but a lad… I worry, sometimes, just how much he might give before he realizes how poor a choice it was to do so._

 _They are still young now and Severus treats him as you used to treat your nieces, but Rowan is very good at making himself small and blending in where he needs to. I can't read him well and I worry how things may develop. If Severus is given the right information, I will fear much less for the two's future relationship. I don't feel you need to share with Severus his father's name now, or even this year if you don't want, but you will have to soon. The boy's curiosity grows every day and I can see he's becoming more morose with each story about a father he hears and troubled with each question about the man directed at him._

 _I say this all with love, Darla. Life does not always go according to plan and this is one plan of yours that appears it will need to be changed or scrapped altogether._

 _Love,_

 _Edie_

-O-

 _My Edie,_

 _I'm just fine. Yes, I'm still seeing Alfred. He's starting to make noises about taking me to meet his parents; I reckon we're getting quite serious! I'm actually rather excited. I think he might end up being the one for me. I wouldn't hold out for wedding bells, however. We both agree we'd rather just like to cohabitate and don't need a piece of paper to tell us what we mean to one another. My students are doing well overall. We've only had a few existential crises thus far; I reckon this batch will make it through the year with flying colors. Well, if the girls think I'm the only one who can be of any help… I'll be home all morning this coming Saturday if you want to give me a ring then._

 _That's brilliant news! Let me know if Severus starts to fall behind, I'll light a fire under that boy's arse the moment you do. I'm sure he's caused more chaos than you can imagine. Severus might not have much of a head for book-learning, but he's shown he's quite the mastermind when it comes to shenanigans. Sneaky too. There's a good reason he's a Slytherin and not a Hufflepuff like our dear Teddy. Don't let Minerva be too soft on him when he's finally caught red-handed. Severus's nephew or no, he still needs to learn the same lessons all other impish children before him and after him have and will learn._

 _Severus has mentioned his new friend; though, not his surname. Thank you for letting me know – I've been trying to find a way to ask for the lad's full name without piquing Severus's attention. While it is a surprise to me any child raised by Graham Montague could be as kind as you describe, I'm glad to hear he is. It's also lovely to know Severus has taken him under his wing. Surely he will be a better man than his father with an influence like Severus in his life. For all his vexing traits, Severus is a good boy and I know will show Rowan right from wrong._

 _Your concerns are heard and noted. I will consider telling Severus about his father sooner rather than later. I still would like to put it off at least another year. Perhaps before he starts his fifth year would be a good time to tell him. He'll have his OWLs to focus on and won't be able to obsess too much about his father then. What do you think?_

 _I hope this letter finds you well, Edie. Give all my love to the girls and Severus. I look forward to our call this Saturday._

 _Yours,_

 _Darla_

* * *

 **Thoughts this chapter?**

 **Thank you for reading :)**


	4. November, 2011

_Always Gold_

* * *

"Budge over," demanded Severus as he sat down next Rowan. "My mum's coming to Hogwarts for Christmas," he said while waving his letter from her in his mate's face.

Rowan sighed and dropped his spoon into his porridge. His mate turned to give his full attention to Severus. "Is she?" he replied, prompting Severus in the exact way he'd wanted.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"It's a good thing, isn't it?"

Severus shrugged. "Usually, we only came up for a month in the summer and the last couple of years Calliope has taken me down to Straya to visit Mum for Christmas."

"D'you think she's coming to visit for a reason then?" inquired Rowan.

He hesitated. "Dunno," he finally said. Severus shook his head. "Ah, sorry, mate. I'm interrupting your brekkie, aren't I?"

The firstie hummed noncommittally as he picked up his spoon once more. "Just for a mo'," replied Rowan. "It's fine."

Severus clapped a hand on the back of the younger's neck. "You don't have to stop everything for me when I have something I want to tell you."

Between bites of porridge, the firstie snorted. "I don't," he told Severus, "only when you look upset."

"I looked upset?" he said, astonished. Severus hadn't thought he'd been broadcasting his concern about this turn of events so obviously.

Rowan bobbed his head. "Not a lot," he assured Severus, "just a little. You get this dimple between your eyebrows when you're being serious. It kind of makes you look like your uncle in his portrait."

"Oh yeah?" Severus was rarely compared to his uncle in a way that made them sound similar. Usually, it was all about how different they were. Severus the first by all accounts had been a studious, serious, mercurial man and boy while he, Severus the second, was… Well, Aunt Edie often compared him to Lottie. Since no one disputed her, he imagined she was more right than wrong about that.

Everything he heard about his cousin was quite nice; except for when his mum talked about how stubborn Lottie was, and how that trait was all her brother and she was so glad that the Snape stubbornness had passed right over him. Sometimes, he felt he ought to be insulted by remarks like that, but, really, was it so bad to be flexible? Severus didn't think so. He got on with most people because of it, unlike his Uncle, who'd had few friends and often struggled to be pleasant with people he didn't like or agree with.

Severus flashed his mate a grin. "Thanks, Ro."

The firstie did the polite thing and swallowed his porridge before he returned Severus's grin with a smile. "You're welcome."

-o-O-o-

"–So you should see if you can talk your Nan into letting you come back to Hogwarts a bit early so you can do some stuff with me and Mum!"

"I don't know, Severus," Teddy hedged. "Nan's pretty strict about us spending the winter hols together. She only lets me go visit Harry for Boxing Day and New Years usually…"

He slung an arm around his godbrother's neck and dragged him close. "C'mon mate, it's not like Mum comes to Scotland _every_ Christmas! Surely 'Dromeda will understand and let you come back a day or two early?"

The Hufflepuff sighed. "I guess there's no harm in asking, is there?" he questioned, offering a half-smile to Severus, who returned it with a full-blown grin.

"I reckon, yeah!" Severus was about to start telling his mate about all the fun the two of them and his mother could have to convince him further how great his idea was when he heard what could only be a stifled sob from somewhere nearby. Severus had them come to a complete stop and started to swivel his head around to try and get a better idea of where the crying was coming from.

Teddy frowned at him. "What?"

He put a finger to his lips. "Listen!" he hissed.

A minute later, another sob echoed off the stone of the corridor's walls and floor. "It's coming from that way," Severus proclaimed, pointing in the direction of a suit of armor.

His godbrother grabbed him before he could go further. "What if they want to just cry in peace?"

"Yeah, right," scoffed Severus, yanking himself out of Teddy's grip. When one was sad, having someone there to pet their hair and tell them everything was going to work out in the end was a necessity as far as Severus was concerned. Walking in the direction of the weeping, he called out, "Hey, what's wrong, mate?"

Of course, there was no reply, only an uptick in the sobs. Once he was next to the suit of armor, he saw that behind it were a pair of shined up brown leather brogues. Gingerly, he poked one. "D'you wanna talk?" he asked them.

A long moment later, the splotchy, swollen face of Milly Wilson appeared. "No!" she half-shrilled. "Especially not to you!"

Severus took a step back and frowned. Had he offended Wilson somehow? If so, how? When? While he was starting to think he should just leave, Severus hated the idea of going without knowing what it was about him that was so offensive to the firstie. "Um, did I do something to you?" he questioned uneasily. "If I did, I'm very, very, _very_ sorry…"

"You wouldn't understand! You have a mum!" the girl raged at him, not really answering his question, but perhaps revealing a little of what it was that had upset her so badly.

Teddy brushed past Severus and crouched down next to Wilson. In that soft voice he'd heard Teddy use a million times with their godfather's youngest, his godbrother told the firstie, "I don't have a mum." He ducked his head and mumbled to himself, "or a dad," before he continued on to say to Wilson, "Perhaps you can tell me what's upset you so badly?"

The girl wiped her snotty nose on her robe, disgusting Severus enough to pull one of his specially monogrammed handkerchiefs from his pocket to give to her. "Here."

She took it and blew her nose. "Thank you," she replied, now breathing a little more normally. Crumpling the slimy, gross fabric in her hands, Wilson kept her eyes on her dimpled knees as she began to speak to Teddy. "I don't either," she started. "At least, not one who wants me."

Teddy lifted his gaze from the girl and to Severus, who held up his hands helplessly at his side. What could he say to that? Teddy's guess was as good as his. "How do you know that?" his godbrother inquired after a beat.

"Wrote her," Wilson mumbled. "Professor Sinistra gave me her address after she found it and made sure with Papa it was alright I try and contact her." Her voice wobbly once again, she told them, "I wrote her asking if she remembered me and if we could exchange letters to get to know one another again now that I'm a witch like she is." She began to shake with fresh sobs. "She w-wrote back she didn't h-have a daughter and to never contact her a-again."

"Oh…" Teddy breathed, seemingly speechless from Wilson's admission.

Severus, however, was not. "What a bitch! She can get fucked!" he cursed. Gliding in, he nudged Teddy aside and put a hand on Wilson's knee. "She's the one losing out, mate, not you."

The firstie cried into her new handkerchief for a moment. Finally, she asked, "Why doesn't she want me, though? She did before! Papa told me the happiest she ever was with him was when she was pregnant with me!"

"I don't know," Teddy said. "But it's not because of you, alright?"

Wilson jerked away from them. "How can you know that? You don't know that! You don't know me!"

Severus pushed forward. "I know enough," he declared. He'd heard the rumors, and the truth, and even had some of the same experience Wilson had. Though, his own father gave up on being a parent long before Severus was born. "She ran off on you and your dad when you were just a bub, right?"

The girl dipped her chin in agreement.

"Babies can't even hold up their own _heads_ ," he told her. "There's nothing you could'a possibly done to her to make her leave." Severus smirked mischievously and tried to lighten the girl's mood by teasing Wilson, "Except maybe spit up on her and I have it on good authority from _heap_ _s_ of mums, nans, and aunts that they don't hate their bubs for doing a normal baby thing."

Wilson didn't look convinced – or amused – but she wasn't nearly so hysterical anymore either. Severus counted that as a good sign and decided to press on and share his own tale of abandonment. Which, really, probably wasn't half as bad as the firstie's. He'd never had the chance to even meet and love his dad, unlike Wilson with her mother. "I don't have a dad," he told the girl. "Did you know that? He didn't want me either." Severus turned his gaze to his hands and watched as he slowly balled them up into tight, hard fists. "I don't know why either. Not _really_ , anyway. What I _do_ know is my mum loves me. So does my Aunt and cousins and mates."

He glanced over at Teddy, who was twisting his shirt in his grip and wearing a wrought expression, but there was no pinched look to his eyes. Severus took it to be a good sign. Teddy often looked a lot tenser than he did now when he thought Severus was being drongo. "You gotta start focusing on that, Milly. Who does love and want you, not who doesn't." He reached forward to clasp both of her hands in his own. "You'll make yourself bonkers wondering why. Trust me."

"Papa always thought she left because she couldn't carry on pretending to be a normal person when she was a witch. He… I… We thought maybe she after she learned I was a witch too she might like to try being my mum again – especially since I can live here and be a part of her world now."

He sighed and patted her knee. "I'm sorry. It sucks, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Wilson agreed in a miserable tone.

Teddy cleared his throat. "I reckon we should get up. You're shivering, Wilson."

The girl blinked. "Oh, I am," she mumbled, starting to shift into a better position to stand.

Severus leaned back and took in the girl's round form and realized his godbrother was right. He drew out his wand and cast on her a warming charm. "That should help," he told Wilson as wonder overcame the firstie's features.

"What spell is this?"

He grinned. "A warming charm. They're ace to know. They don't work too well if you're moving a lot, but when you're in one spot, the charm's amazing on a cool day or when you're up in the nosebleeds at a Quidditch game."

"We can show you how to cast it," Teddy offered kindly. "First, though, I think we should go to the kitchens for some hot chocolate."

Wilson's eyes went wide. "We can go in the kitchens?"

"Yeah!" Severus assured. "It's a lot of fun, you'll see."

Together, the trio began the short trek to Hogwarts's kitchen. All the while Severus and Teddy kept up a running descriptor of the kitchen and the House Elves who worked in it to distract Wilson from her heartache.

* * *

 **How did you like the chapter?**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	5. January, 2012

_Always Gold_

* * *

To Severus's great satisfaction, two days before classes resumed, Teddy stepped through his Aunt Edie's floo just in time for dinner. As Severus hoped she would be, Auntie Andromeda was swayed to let Teddy to come and visit with him and his family during Christmas hols after his friend pointed out how this may be a once in a lifetime chance, given that never before had Severus's mum come to visit for the winter and there was no chatter she'd be back again next year (or anytime after, either).

It was a loud and fun meal. They told his mother about some of the tamer pranks they'd pulled on their fellow students and she returned the favor by telling them a (grouse) gross story about one of her students removing a cyst from an old wizard's arse. Aunt Edie rolled her eyes and sighed through most of the meal – as if they were all a heap of immature ankle-biters, but he knew she was enjoying herself. She hid her mouth behind her hand far too much for Severus not to take notice. He imagined most of her meals taken in her quarters were rather quiet affairs these days. All of his cousins were busy with their own lives and could only stop by so often.

When they were done eating, his mother suggested they take a stroll through Hogsmeade. "It's been ages since I last saw the place decorated for the winter season and nostalgia has gotten the better of me," she admitted with a small, private smile. Never had Severus wished he knew legilimency more so he could see what old memories his mother was revisiting, unfortunately, just like with many things, none of his uncle's innate talent had been passed to him. If he ever wanted to learn the mind arts, the only way he'd be any good at it was with long, arduous work.

Aunt Edie got to her feet and began to levitate their dishes into a pile to take into the kitchen. "Yeh go," she told them while making a shooing motion with her hand. "I'm a wee bi' tired. I think I'll take a kip…"

His mother's smile disappeared and uncertainty marred her features. "Are you sure, Edie? We could always all go tomorrow."

"Go, go," she insisted. "I don' mind."

Mum still looked doubtful, but Severus wasn't. A stroll through Hogsmeade sounded ace to him now and he wasn't about to wait for tomorrow to do it. Severus popped up from his chair and scrambled to put his robe back on. "Hooroo, Aunt Edie!" he called as he started for the door to his aunt's quarters.

His mother looked a little mulish at his butting in, but Teddy followed without hesitation. An exasperated huff later, his mother was next to him, and they were out in the corridors of Hogwarts heading for the nearby village.

-o-O-o-

While walking through Hogsmeade, they'd pause now and then to look in the windows of shops to see what was on display. However, when they reached Spintwitches's Teddy and he begged to go inside to take a closer look at their wears – the Quidditch goods in particular. As was typical with Mum, however, she looked away from them and appeared as if she was desperately trying to find a reason for them not to go in. Of course, she couldn't. There was none. This was supposed to be a fun walk-through and they still had a quarter of the village yet to see. So, with a defeated sigh, agreed.

Severus whooped with victory before he opened the door for his godbrother and mother. When they were inside, they made a bee-line for the Quidditch stuff as his mother called out to them:

"I'll be over here! Looking at rugby selection… Pretending I'm the least bit interested in any of it…"

Severus and Teddy barely heard her over their own yabber. As they were inspecting goggles for Quidditch, Severus saw a familiar red out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he gave a joyous laugh when he saw it was his little shadow. "Hey there, Ro!" he called.

The younger boy jolted, nearly dropping the Quaffle he'd been holding. When he looked up and saw it was him, Rowan smiled. "'Lo Severus."

Walking over, Teddy close behind, he asked the boy. "What're you doing here?"

The redhead tipped his head behind him at a broad-shouldered man and robust-looking dark-haired boy of maybe eight or nine. The two were looking at a diorama of brooms that let you get a feel of the broom's body to help you better decide which was for you. "It's my brother Ash's birthday tomorrow. I'm picking out a gift for him while Father distracts him. Mother is waiting for me at the counter to pay for it."

"That's ace!" Severus told him. He'd always sort of wished he had a little brother or sister. They could have played pick-up Quidditch together and he would have taught them how to fly and read and other important things when he was growing up. Though, maybe it was better he was an only child. What if his little brother had been a whiny baby like Marcus or his sister stubborn like Karen? Playing together would have either been no fun because either his imaginary sibling would have been too scared to follow him up high into the sky or would insist on staying grounded because she wanted to play marriage together with her baby doll instead.

Perhaps someday Anthony'd make him wish for a little sibling again. He was getting bigger every day and it wouldn't be long at all before cousin Eileen started letting Severus take Anthony for rides on his broom like he did with Karen.

"You know, if you're going to buy a quaffle, you should go with a Warrington's instead of a Blake's. They're more aerodynamic, even if they aren't quite as light," Teddy told Rowan.

The boy squinted at the ball in his hand and then at the other quaffles available to purchase. "Really?" he said.

Severus threw an arm around his mate. "If Teddy says so, you listen! Kay? He knows what he's talking about. He plays chaser for the Hufflepuffs." He grinned impishly at the metamorphmagus whose hair took on the blueish-grey it often did when he was suspicious of Severus's intentions. "He knows _everything_ about Quidditch." Removing himself from Teddy, he added, "In fact, Teddy here has used so much of his brain's power to hold onto Quidditch info and trivia that he can't hardly talk about anything else – _especially_ with girls."

His godbrother tried to shove him. "Oh, shut up!" he grumbled as Severus laughed at his own self-perceived cleverness.

Rowan blinked owlishly at them. "…Right," he said.

Severus was about to ask the younger boy how his winter hols had been when his mother, voice panicked, called, "Se– Children! Come here this instant!"

They all looked over at her. His mother's black eyes were large and beseeching as she flagged them toward her with frantic hands. Severus, Teddy, and Rowan began to step in her direction. However, his mother's eyes locked in on Rowan as she snapped, "Not you!"

Rowan froze and Severus gaped at his mother. "Mum!" he cried, aghast at her rudeness.

Obviously displeased with their lack of speed, she hurried over to the two of them and grabbed Severus and Teddy by their elbows before dragging them out of the shop.

When they were outside, he pulled himself out of his mother's grip and snapped, "What was that about, Mum! You were mean to Ro!"

Chin set in a hard, unrebukable way, she said, "We are going home."

Severus dug his heels into the grooves of the cobbled street. "No!" he snapped. "Not until you explain what the Hell you were doing in there!" Before he can so much as reach for his wand, he's in a body-bind and being levitated by his mother.

Teddy's eyes are nearly popping out of his head as he trotted along behind Severus, mouthing at him, "You're mother's gone _mad_!"

Severus didn't disagree. He even opened his mouth to say as much, but found he couldn't speak. Twisting his neck around so he was looking at the back of his mother's head, he glared at her, hoping she picked up every bit of the anger, annoyance, and befuddlement Severus was sending her way. When they got home, she would be answering some very pointed questions.

-o-O-o-

"What was that all about!" Severus burst the moment his mother canceled all of her spells on him, causing his Aunt Edie to startle out of her kip on the sofa.

The older woman, now sitting up and blinking bleary eyes at them, asked, "Yeh're back already?"

"Mum went mad when she saw me and Teddy with Ro and dragged us out of Spintwitche's!"

His aunt's brows were knit together as she moved her gaze from Severus to his mother. "Darla?" she prompted.

Severus glanced over at his mother, who wasn't looking at any of them, but at the floor. "Severus's friend wasn't alone."

Briefly, confusion clouded Aunt Edie's countenance, but, then, some sort of understanding dawned on it and she said, "I see." Rising to her feet, his aunt smiled at Severus's godbrother and said, "Teddy, swee', I think yeh an' I should take a trip down ter the kitchens fer some cocoa."

"Ah, sure…" agreed his friend, letting Severus's aunt lay a hand on his shoulder and guide him out of the quarters. As they left, he twisted around to look at Severus, eyes conveying that he expected Severus to fill him in on what happened with his mother when he returned. He nodded. Severus never kept secrets from Teddy – at least not for long.

When they were alone, Severus crossed his arms and turned toward his mother. "Well?" he demanded. "What the Hell was that all about?"

His mother scowled at him. "Show a little respect when you speak to me. I am your mother!" she snapped.

Severus had never been one who was easily quailed and shouted back, "You were rude to Ro! He's going to think you hate him now! _I'm_ wondering if you hate him!"

Briefly, his mother looked as if she wanted to hex him. Then her entire being drooped and she brushed past him to sit on room's sofa. She patted the seat beside him. "Come here, my sweet."

Confused and more than a little wary, Severus did so. When he sat down next to her, his mother drew him close a moment to pet his hair and kiss his brow. "I love you," she told him.

More scared than confused now, Severus replied, "I love you too. What's wrong, Mum?"

"Nothing," she told him. "I just… Oh, this wasn't how this visit was supposed to go! I missed having Christmas with everyone and this was supposed to be a fun trip home with all of you." Pulling away from him, his mother turned her attention to her hands, which now rested atop her knees. Slowly, they curled into fists as she muttered, "Why do I never listen to Edie? She said things don't always go according to plan!"

"Mum?" pleaded Severus.

She sighed and pressed her hands to her eyes. "Sweet, I told you one day I'd tell you your father's name." Looking at Severus now, she told him, "I had hoped that one day would be farther off in the future, but, unfortunately, it has come today."

His breath caught in his throat. Severus had dreamt of this day since his mother promised she would tell him when he was older. And, finally, it was here. Leaning in, he whispered, "Who is he? Who is my father?"

Once again, his mother looked away. In a small, quiet voice entirely unsuited to her, she told him, "Graham Montague."

Severus fell back, shocked and feeling more than a little wonder. Graham Montague? Rowan's father? He… He and Rowan were brothers?

"Fuck," he breathed.

Beside him, his mother began to giggle. There was a hysterical edge to it and Severus didn't really like it. She sounded insane. When he finally could think clearly again, he turned to his mother, who'd stopped laughing and was now wiping tears from the corners of her eyes, and asked, "You… Do you think Ro knows?"

His mother shook her head. "Absolutely not." Eyes apologetic, she told him, "Graham was very clear when I told him about you he'd rather have never known you existed and planned to live life as if I'd never told him about you." Propping her chin on her hand, she turned her eyes out on his aunt's lounge room and remarked, "I doubt he even told his wife."

Severus nodded. It stung to hear just how much his father didn't want him, but that answered that. Rowan didn't know. His ( _their_ ) little brother didn't and neither did Rowan's mother. He reckoned even his paternal grandparents didn't know about him either. It was almost exactly as his father wanted. In his little world, Severus _didn't_ exist. No one that mattered to him knew he'd shagged his mother and had a son not only outside of a relationship, but with someone on the other side of the war.

"You can't tell him, you know."

He returned his gaze to his mother, confused. "What?"

Voice stern and eyes hard, she repeated, "Rowan. You can't tell him."

"Why not? He deserves to know we're brothers, not just friends!" Severus said.

Severus's mother grabbed him by his shoulders and gave him a firm shake. "You will not be selfish, Severus! Do not upturn that poor boy's whole world just as he's starting to understand who he is! He has enough trouble coming his way as the son of a Death Eater. He doesn't need the strife that'll surely come with knowing his father had a child before him." Dark eyes blazing like hot coals, she hissed, "This won't just affect you and him should you tell him, but every relationship Rowan has in his family. You could ruin the Montagues if you tell him, Severus. Do you understand?"

He wanted to be stubborn and tell his mother she was being drongo and mad, but Severus wasn't that blinded by his shiny new knowledge. He could see his mother's point and cared greatly about his friend, now brother. He didn't want to tear Rowan's family asunder by revealing his true relation to the younger boy. He would rather be one of Rowan's best friends who was like a big brother to him rather than a long-lost brother who ruined his childhood. With a large, sad sigh, he agreed, "Fine. I won't say anything to Ro."

Instantly, his mother relaxed and she even started to smile at him. "There's my good boy," she praised. Cupping his chin and running a thumb across his cheek, Severus's mother murmured, "I know this is far from an ideal situation, but at least you're not wondering anymore, yes?"

"Yeah," Severus replied, sagging into his mother's side from exhaustion. Though, now that he did know, he couldn't help but wish he was clueless was once again. Severus had no idea how he was going to keep this a secret from Rowan. Forever. He shifted and looked up at his mother. "How am I going to never tell him that we're brothers? We're together all the time."

She began to comb her fingers through his hair. "Forever? Oh, Severus, I don't expect you to go to the grave with this secret. I just don't you want to tell him now. He's a boy and doesn't deserve to have his life made more difficult than it is already. Once you're an adult and he's an adult… It should be safer for you to say something to him then." His mother squinted at him. "Perhaps he'll have even figured out you're related by then. You do take after the Montague family rather strongly."

Severus lifted a hand to brush over his un-Snape-like cheekbones. "Do you really think so?"

"It's possible."

He didn't smile, but Severus did feel lighter. So this wasn't going to be some big, life-long secret. Only one he had to keep for a few years. Perhaps even one that would be figured out well before Rowan was an adult. Severus could do this. He could keep his mouth shut about being brothers to Rowan for a few years.

But he was so telling Teddy.

* * *

 **What did you think? I think it was pretty obvious already who Severus's dad was, but now it's out in the open.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	6. January, 2012 Cont

_Always Gold_

* * *

Severus turned beneath his mother's old quilt to face his cousin Eileen's childhood bed and where Teddy now lay, eyes visibly drooping as he began to fall asleep. "Oi! Teddy!" he hissed.

The other's lashes fluttered and his hair cycled through a myriad of colors before settling on a dull, tired blue. "What?" he asked, now a little more awake and squinting irritably at Severus across the dark room.

"I've been waiting for ages for you to ask what I and Mum talked about!" he grumbled, affronted by not only the other's tone, but his lack of interest in general. He'd wanted to know before he left for the kitchens with Aunt Edie, why not now?

Propping himself up on his elbow, Teddy used the hand on the arm not holding him up to rub his eyes. "Aunt Edie told me while we were having cocoa that I shouldn't ask you what your mum said to you, 'cause she might have told you not to tell anyone and I'd only make us both upset when you couldn't share anything."

Severus absorbed this and then nodded, conceding that his friend had a point. That would have been bad. His foul mood now gone and typical impishness returned to him, Severus gave Teddy a wry smirk and told him conspiratorially, "Mum doesn't want me to say anything to Ro, but she never said I couldn't talk to you."

"Is that the same as being allowed to tell me?" Teddy questioned with a narrowed gaze.

He huffed and rolled his eyes. His godbrother could be such a worrywart. "If she didn't want anybody but me to know, she ought to have told me to not say a word to anyone!" Severus argued.

Seemingly swayed by his point, Teddy pulled himself out of bed, dragging the quilt he'd been beneath up over his shoulders and walked over to Severus's bed. "Budge over," he ordered. "I think your aunt's still up. We don't want her to hear us 'cause we're talking across the room."

Doing as he was ordered, Severus made room. Once his godbrother was laid out next to him, he sat up and stared down into Teddy's sleepy face. Displeased by the sight, he gave the boy's arm a pinch, widening his gaze more from the shock than the pain.

"Ouch!" he yipped. "What was that for?"

"You have to be awake!" Severus hissed. "This is _important_."

"Alright," his godbrother muttered, rising to a sit himself. "I'm awake."

Satisfied, Severus started, "You know how my dad's a Death Eater or good as?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, she told me while you and Aunt Edie were gone just who he was."

Teddy leaned in, fascinated. "Really? I thought she was going to wait until you were nearly an adult to tell you!"

He nodded. "I did too! But you know how she went around the twist when we were with Ro?"

"Yeah…" he trailed off. Severus waited a tick, then two, hoping he might catch on. Just as it seemed he'd have to find the words to explain it to his godbrother, understanding appeared to dawn on Teddy. Eyes now as big as quaffles he said, "No! Your dad's Rowan's dad?"

He nodded. "Absolutely mad, isn't it?" voice turning tremulous at the end.

Abruptly, Teddy's features softened into something almost girlish as he leaned in and took one of Severus's hands in his own. "Are you okay? That had to be… I don't know, but it's insane."

He fought against the tears he felt pricking in his eyes. "Yeah," he choked. "It's like the bloody universe decided to have a laugh at me. If I'd never stopped to help out Ro, we wouldn't be talking about this for _years_. You'd think the worst part would be my father went and had a family almost right after he decided he didn't want to be _my_ dad, but, really, it's that I can't say a thing to Rowan." Bringing up the hand not held by Teddy to wipe his eyes, he said, "Mum says I'll ruin his family and childhood. I don't want to be the one to do that to him, he's not just my friend anymore, he's my little brother. I really, really, don't want to do what Mum says, but I feel like I should. As his big brother, I got to protect him, right?"

"Merlin," Teddy whispered. "I'm sorry, Severus. I don't know what else to say."

Leaning his head forward to rest it on Teddy's shoulder he chuckled wetly. "You know what? That's enough. I'm glad someone's sorry my family's so fucked."

His godbrother let go of his hand and wrapped his arms around Severus, hugging him tightly as he cried himself to sleep.

-o-O-o-

When classes resumed, Severus wasted little time in finding Rowan. Even if he wasn't supposed to say anything about their relation to one another, he sure as Hell had to say something about the oddness at Spintwitches's with his mother. The lad didn't deserve to think he'd done something wrong when it'd just been his mother panicking about Severus nearly running into his father who wanted nothing to do with him.

When he spotted the boy from the staircase to their dorms sitting on one of the sofa's in Slytherins' common room, playing a game of cards with Milly Wilson, Severus paused. There was something surreal about seeing him there now with the new knowledge he held. Of course, they'd connected so fast. They were _brothers_. Perhaps neither had known consciously, but subconsciously… He was pretty sure they did. Rowan obviously took more after his mother's family with his red, Carrow hair and small build, but he saw a lot of himself in his brother's features. They had similarly high foreheads, both of their faces tapered into their small, sharp chins and most damning of all, that funny little dip in his lower lip was mirrored in Rowan's own.

How had Severus never seen it before? It was no wonder his mother thought it was likely the secret would be revealed before they finished Hogwarts. If Rowan himself didn't figure it out, someone else was bound to point out their shared traits and ask if they were related before they finished their educations. Merlin only knew how more obvious it would become when Ash started at Hogwarts. Severus could already tell the ankle-biter took far more after the Montagues (like Severus) than his brother.

As he was finishing his silent study of the boy, Rowan looked up from his game and spotted him. A small smile starting on his brother's lips, the lad waved at him. Severus breathed in. What he knew changed nothing between them. Not now. They were friends and nothing more. Walking down the rest of the staircase he went over and sat down in the empty spot beside his brother. "Ro," he greeted. Tipping his head at Milly, he said, "Milly."

"Hi, Severus," Milly said. "How was your Christmas hols?"

Severus found himself smirking. "Enlightening," he replied, bringing a light of confusion to the girl's gaze. "And yours?"

"Fun. We had Christmas dinner with my grandparents and on boxing day my dad invited his girlfriend and her daughter over to watch movies with us. Mia, her daughter, is brilliant! We painted each other's toenails and she told me the boy she's seeing and how he shares his cigs with her when he walks her home from school." She sighed. "I want a boyfriend like that someday."

He resisted the urge to raise his eyebrows at the girl. He'd not taken Milly for the romantic type. Then again, before now, his most significant interaction with her involved being a shoulder to cry on after she found out her mother wanted nothing to do with her. With a small shake of his head, he gave a mirthful chuckle and said, "Don't we all?"

Milly beamed while Rowan cocked his head a little, a thoughtfulness furrowing his brow.

Seeing now was as good a time as any, he asked, "Say, Milly, would you mind letting us talk alone a sec? I got something a bit private I wanna say to Ro here."

Not the least bit offended, Milly hopped up from the sofa. "Sure, I'll go talk with Eva for a mo'. She went skiing in Switerzland over hols and has some wicked pictures she's been showing the other girls in our dorm."

"Thanks, Milly, you're a real dinkum mate."

The girl flushed and giggled before walking off in the direction of one of the room's study tables that Eva Pucey was sitting at with a couple of other firsties showing off a sizeable stack of photos. The group of girls welcomed Milly happily enough and Severus felt comfortable then returning his attention to Rowan. "Sooo…" he began, "about the other day with Mum. What happened had nothing to do with you. She saw somebody she used to not get on with, and sort of panicked–"

"Was it my father? Mother says he wasn't very good at making mates when they were in school. He was kind of a busybody until he got too nosey with the Weasley twins and– Well, he learned his lesson after that and by the time he asked her on a date he was much more likable."

Severus hesitated. Was this the fib he wanted to go with? Rowan didn't seem too perturbed by the idea of his mother not liking his father because of his teenage-meddling. In the end, he decided it was as good a lie as any. "…Yeah. Sorry, Ro."

"It's fine," assured his brother. "Lots of people avoid Father, and the rest of us, because of the stuff he did when he was a kid and during the war when he wasn't much older. I like to pretend that's always why people glare at us, and not because my great aunt and uncle are Alecto and Amycus Carrow."

He felt unsure how to proceed. He'd experienced some of the same cruelty his brother had, but, mostly, he'd been protected. By growing up in Straya, by going out with his mother who wasn't afraid to be mean first when they visited Scotland and England, by publicly having photos taken with his godfather and godbrother, showing he was well-loved by a national hero and receiving some of that same respect Uncle Harry got by association. Shifting in his seat, he reached over to lay a hand atop his brother's. "Ro–"

The redhead pulled away. "No," he said. "It's okay. Why don't you call Milly back over? You can join us in a game. We just finished our last one when you came down the stairs."

He sighed, maybe some other time his brother and he could talk about the neverending revulsion Rowan faced. "Why not?"

* * *

 **How did you like the chapter? The reason Severus went with for Darla's behavior in Spintwitches's?**

 **In other news, instead of a new chapter of _Always Gold_ on Wednesday, I'll be uploading the first chapter of a new fic in the "Family Branches" called _Our Simple Drama_ _s_. It's (hopefully) a fun little fic that gives some insight into Darla and all of the girls' characters through how they ask Severus (or don't) for a biscuit.**

 **Thank you all a million for reading!**


	7. May, 2016

_Always Gold_

* * *

Severus stared at his letter from the Cleansweep Broom company. He'd been accepted into their broom-designer apprenticeship program. Severus wasn't entirely certain how to feel about it. He was a bit flabberghasted Cleansweep wanted him at all after how flippant he'd been during his interview. He reckoned it was his name that'd gotten him the spot – which he didn't like. Someone who actually did well on the interview and application should have been accepted.

He only applied and interviewed to humor Teddy, who'd never given up on hoping Severus would stay in the United Kingdoms with him and the rest of their friends and family. Yet now that he knew he'd been accepted… Severus was feeling a lot less certain in his conviction to leave Britain. He still wanted to go home; he missed Straya's beaches and the southern ocean's refreshing, salty waters. Even more, Severus ached to fly over home's stretches of dessert with the hard sun on his back and wind tousling his locks and feel like the only wizard in the world. He'd always liked the diverse and dynamic witches and wizards of Straya more than these stuffy, proper pommies too.

As much as he ached to return, however, he felt obligated to stay here; and not just for Teddy.

Rowan hadn't been getting on with his parents as of late. They expected too much from him. They demanded he get Os in all of his classes, for him to partake in this club or that one depending on the month (at least they'd given up on him joining Quidditch last year, Rowan wasn't aggressive or agile enough to play seriously) and impress the professors so they'd bestow him with Head Boy in a couple of years.

His poor mate felt like he was drowning and that his parents would never be happy with him – or at least never as pleased with Rowan as they were with Ash. Ash wasn't a bad kid by any means. He was a little mouthy (but so was Severus) and talked a bit too much about himself at times, but he'd made friends out of most of his year and a number of students above him. Many of the professors liked him too and Severus knew from Rowan the Transfiguration professor thought Ash had a lot of talent for the subject and had taken him under his wing. It was obvious to everyone who knew the brothers if anyone was going to redeem the Montague name, it was going to be Ash – not soft-spoken, reserved Rowan.

Severus didn't want to leave Rowan alone in Britain. All of these years later, he was still the kid's best friend and as his older brother (even if the other didn't know he was) felt obligated to be near in case of any crises.

"Hmm? What're you lookin' at?" sleepily slurred Chetan, his boyfriend.

He shifted a little so he could kiss Chetan's brow, but ended up kissing one of his half-closed eyes instead. It wasn't a loss for Severus, however. Kissing any part of his boyfriend was a smashing experience. Chetan ran a little hot and Severus always came away with tingling lips.

Bringing the letter into his boyfriend's view, he said, "My acceptance letter from Cleansweep."

Chetan sighed into Severus's neck curled into his side. "Mm," he mumbled. "Why? I thought you interviewed with them to practice for P. Falcon's and were just going to throw it out when you got it."

"I was," Severus said into Chetan's curls, "but…"

"What?" he asked.

He put his arm holding the letter down and moved so he was laying side by side with his boyfriend. Staring into his lovely brown, olive-flecked eyes, he admitted, "I don't want to be so far away from Ro in case he needs me."

Chetan frowned a little. He and Rowan were in the same year, though, Chetan was Gryffindor and didn't know Rowan half as well as Severus – in spite of Severus doing his best to socialize the two once he realized he was getting serious with Chetan. "He's not five," his boyfriend told him. "I'm sure Rowan will be fine if you decide next year to apprentice with P. Falcon in Australia next year." The Gryffindor turned onto his back. "You know, I almost got my hopes up there for a minute."

Severus propped himself up on his elbow and stared down at his boyfriend, admiring the sharp angles of his bare shoulders as he did so. Waking up to Chetan's half-naked body was the best part about sneaking his boyfriend into his dorms. "Your hopes up for what?" he asked, not understanding just how serious things had become in the past ten seconds.

"I thought you were reconsidering for me, Severus. But, like always, it's about bloody Rowan," Chetan snapped, getting out of Severus's bed. "Merlin! Why are you even dating me? It's obvious your more in love with him than me!"

He could only gape at his boyfriend, utterly shocked by the sudden declaration. Where was this coming from? Severus had thought he was doing a fairly good job of balancing his friendship with Rowan and relationship with Chetan and not letting the two mix together beyond occasionally having the three of them hang out together for a game of Exploding Snaps or to watch a Quidditch game.

It was as his boyfriend was throwing on his robe to leave that Severus finally regained his voice. "It's not like that with me and Ro!" he cried.

Chetan scoffed. "Sure."

"Really!" Severus insisted. His boyfriend didn't stop walking away, however, and a few of Severus's dormmates were sitting up and watching the show. He tried to get out of bed, only to get tangled in his sheets and fall face-first into the stone floors of the dorm. Chin smarting and lip bleeding, Severus ripped the sheets off of him and scrambled to his feet. Chetan was opening the door. "Wait!" he shouted.

By the time Severus reached the door to his dorm, Chetan was long gone and nowhere in sight. "Fuck!" he cursed.

"Trouble in paradise, Snape?" Pius Warrington called out, causing a few of his dormmates who were also now awake to snicker.

Severus whirled around and bared his teeth at his fellow seventh-year. He just wanted to throttle the other bloke. He was pretty sure he could take him too, Pius may be a good four inches taller than Severus, but he was skinny and not very athletic, unlike Severus, who was barrel-chested and fairly muscular from Quidditch practice.

"Get stuffed Warrington before I smack you in the teeth!"

He just smirked at him as Severus wiped the blood from his face. Disgusted by the crimson coating his fingers, Severus stalked out of his dorm and to the upper-year lavatory, mood sourer than it had been since his big row with his Mum last year about his class choices for his final year at Hogwarts.

-o-O-o-

Severus took a seat next to Teddy at the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall, sighing heavily as he did so. His godbrother looked up from the _Daily Prophet_ he was leafing through and gave Severus a once over while he filled a plate. "Are you in a row with Chetan?"

"How do you figure?" countered Severus as he aggressively cut into the slice of ham he put on his plate just moments earlier.

Teddy tipped his head in the direction of the Gryffindor table while closing and halving his _Daily Prophet_. "He stormed in fifteen minutes ago and wasn't quiet when he was complaining about you to Molly before the two of them left."

Between bites of ham, he grumbled, "Of course he went right to Molly."

"She is his best friend," Teddy reminded him while he tucked his now neatly folded newspaper away in his satchel for later.

Severus huffed. "Whatever."

Teddy stared at him for a time in silence, then, he asked, "So?"

"So what?" returned Severus. He'd wanted to bitch about what happened between him and Chetan, but had the chance stolen from him by Chetan himself (even if he probably hadn't meant to, but, then, maybe he had. Chetan could be a vindictive wanker when he was angry and knew just how close the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables were to one another).

His godbrother sighed heavily as if Severus was paining him somehow. "How are you going to show Chetan you love him and that it's different from how you love Rowan?"

He put down his fork and stared back at Teddy, incredulous. "I tell him it enough and I've explained that Ro's a brother to me a thousand times already! If he doesn't believe me, that's it! There's no fixing this."

Teddy's eyes flipped between a burnt orange and bluer indigo before settling on a burnished brown. "Merlin, Severus, I know you aren't this dense. Saying something doesn't mean anything without action. Have you been showing Chetan you love him lately? Or have you been canceling plans and stuff with him to go be with Rowan and help him deal with whatever his latest crisis is?"

Indignant, Severus snapped, "His parents are putting too much pressure on him! They keep sending letters guilting him for not doing better on exams and asking why he doesn't have a girlfriend or more mates like Ash! I have to be there when he reads them so he knows someone thinks he's doing just fine!"

His brother pinched the bridge of his nose. "I know, I know. Rowan's parents are… misguided." Teddy reached over and gripped his arm, his features soft, he said in a kind voice, "You have to let him learn to handle this stuff on his own a little, though. I know I've said in the past I wished you just stay here with everyone after we graduate, but you shouldn't be sacrificing what you want for anyone – even Rowan."

Severus felt tears start to sear the back of his eyes. "I don't want him to feel abandoned," he whispered. "It's _horrible_."

Teddy stood up, pulling Severus along with him. "Come on, let's go for a walk by the football field," he suggested.

He stumbled after his godbrother, a bit miffed by his abruptness, but not adverse to the idea of leaving the Great Hall for a stroll. He was feeling a bit too vulnerable to be around so many. Once they were outside of Hogwarts stone walls and several yards away from the castle, Teddy turned to him and said, "Maybe you should come clean and tell him."

Severus was so shocked by the suggestion he stopped mid-stride. Gaping at his godbrother, he sputtered, "What?" Teddy couldn't be suggesting he add to Rowan's turmoil by saddling him with their true relationship to one another, could he? That'd be absolutely insane! He'd promised his mother for one, and for two, Severus didn't feel sure Rowan would take all too well right now.

"Chetan should understand a little better why you worry so much about Rowan after, don't you think?" Teddy said, both confusing and calming Severus in equal measures. While he's pleased that Teddy wasn't suggesting he tell Rowan about their shared blood, he was not sure he entirely understood why his godbrother felt telling Chetan would be a good idea. Teddy seemed to pick up on his confusion and explained, "He's pretty protective of Harjeet. He's scared off more than one lad in the past because he thought they were interested in her for the wrong reason."

Exasperated, he asked, "What are you talking about? He loves Harjeet's boyfriend. Abdul's a big chocolate frog card geek who always insists on paying for his and Harjeet's butterbeers when they go to Hogsmeade weekends!"

Teddy rolled his eyes at him. "And how many of the other boys Harjeet has gone out with have lasted more than a week or two?"

Severus hesitated in his answer. Perhaps he'd been a bit blind to how protective Chetan was of his little sister. Since Harjeet started going out on dates last year, there had been almost a dozen other lads who'd dated her before Abdul came into the picture shortly before Christmas hols. He'd always thought they hadn't worked out for normal reasons, like an incompatibility between them and Harjeet, but now that Teddy was pointing it out… A lot of them gave the Suri siblings wide berth in the corridors and the like.

It made a lot of sense to him suddenly. Chetan could be pretty terrifying when he wanted to be. And for his sister's well-being? He'd happily be the monster of someone else's story for her. A sudden horrifying thought took over Severus's mind at that. Chetan didn't give up easily on _anything_. Spells, games, classes, people…

"He's going to go and attempt to scare Rowan off, isn't he?"

His godbrother winced. "…He may have mentioned to Molly he wasn't going to let Rowan take you from him without a fight," Teddy admitted to him.

"That bloody Gryffindor!" cursed Severus, attempting to storm back to the castle, only to be held back by Teddy.

Hair cycling through a plethora of warm colors, Teddy told him, "Stop! Look, if you two get into it, I don't think you're going to come out of it a couple. Tell me, Severus, is that what you want? Do you want things to be over with Chetan?"

Severus was furious and he wanted to find Chetan and hex him senseless for even daring to think he can ruin his relationship with Rowan, but Teddy was making far too much sense. If he did that, they'd be over. There would be no more amazing mornings waking up next to Chetan and lazy days out on the grounds flying or kicking around a football. Severus wouldn't get to be the one that made him do that weird, endearing, honk-snort of his when he found something funny, but didn't want to be loud about it or help him with his Astronomy projects and listen to him ramble about the history of his favorite stars and constellations.

"No," he replied with great reluctance. "I want to be with Chetan. He's amazing – even if he's being drongo right now."

Teddy nodded a small, satisfied air to him. "Yeah, thought so," he replied. "So, do you want me to go hang out with Rowan and protect him while you go find Chetan to talk things out?"

"Sounds aces," agreed Severus. "C'mon, let's go."

* * *

 **Thoughts on this chapter? Quite the skip in time happened! Did you like that? Not like it?**

 **Thanks for reading :)**


	8. May, 2016 Cont

_Always Gold_

* * *

It was nearly too late when Severus and Teddy found Chetan, Molly, and Rowan. His boyfriend and Molly had Rowan pressed to one of Hogwarts's stone walls, both of their wands jabbed threateningly into his throat. Severus's blood was boiling and he started to reach for his wand, only to be stopped by his godbrother's quicker hand.

Severus glanced at the Hufflepuff, who shook his head at him. " _No_ ," he mouthed at Severus.

He _strongly_ disagreed with his friend; they had poor Rowan pushed up against the _wall_ and Severus's mind kept trying to drown him in flashbacks of the first day he met his brother. This felt just like then, except not. The people in front of him weren't strangers, but his dearest brother and boyfriend. He breathed. Yeah, going in with his wand blazing wouldn't end well this time. Pocketing his wand, he roared, "Chetan!"

His boyfriend and Molly whirled around, eyes large and caught, while Rowan stared at him over their shoulders, his own expression one of relief and that hero-worship he once wore much more plainly around Severus.

"Se–" Chetan began, but he put up a hand.

"No," he snapped. "Come here, you and me need to talk. _Now_."

Chetan looked reluctant to follow his direction, but before Severus got it his head to be a little more forceful, Teddy stepped forward and grabbed the younger teenager. "Go on," he urged Chetan. "Severus, I'll hang about here with Molly and Rowan."

Severus leaned over to give his godbrother's shoulder a squeeze. "Thanks, you're really a dinkum mate, you know that?"

Teddy's hair turned a shocking yellow and he smirked at Severus. "Yeah, yeah, go fix things with your bloke."

He chuckled and grabbed Chetan by the wrist. "Let's go," he told the younger, leading him off into the castle. At first, he wasn't entirely sure where he was going to take them, but in the end decided going to Chetan's favorite tower to watch stars from would be a good place. It was at times busy during the nights with other astronomy students, but during the day? Absolutely no one would be there.

Chetan relaxed a little as he realized where they were going and once they were there, he was almost calm. When Severus let him go, he went straight to one of the chairs and desks kept in the middle of the room for students to put their things on and do their work for astronomy. Chetan sat down and crossed his arms. "I'm not sorry," he declared.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Really? You're not the least bit ashamed you almost cursed your boyfriend's best mate?"

The teenager looked away to one of the room's many windows. Severus sighed. He didn't know how he was going to start this, but he wasn't going to do it so far away from Chetan. Walking over to where his boyfriend was sitting, Severus placed himself on the desk in front of Chetan and reached forward and forcibly pulled out one of the Gryffindor's hands to hold.

Severus watched his thumb create small circles on the back of Chetan's hand for a while. Then, he asked, "Have you ever noticed how much Ro and I look alike?"

"You don't?" Chetan replied in a bewildered tone. "I mean, I guess you both have that indent in your lip and it's hard to tell most of the time because of your fringe, but you're foreheads are equally high… If you look kind of like anyone, it's Rowan's little brother. And, really, he looks more like a younger you."

He nodded. "Yeah, that's fair," he agreed. "Tons of people assume I'm the older brother he tells them about at first, not Rowan."

The chair Chetan was sitting in creaked as he started to fidget. "Why are we talking about this?" he asked.

Severus stole himself. "I've told you a million times I don't fancy Rowan the way I do you and I've tried to make sure you can see that, but… Teddy's probably right. I've done a shit job of it." Reaching for Chetan's other hand, which he gave far more willingly than his first, Severus met his boyfriend's gaze and told him, "So I'm going to tell you why I don't love him like that." Briefly, he bit his lip. "You just have to promise not to say a word to anyone about this, alright? The only one besides my family that knows is Teddy and I'm supposed to keep it that way a bit longer."

Chetan's forehead creased with suspicion, but he nodded. "Yes, of course. I can keep a secret."

He sighed and gathered his courage. "Okay," whispered Severus. "Ro's my brother. Ash too."

"What?" his boyfriend sputtered, yanking himself away from him. "What in Merlin's name are you talking about?"

Severus attempted to grab onto Chetan again, but he wouldn't let him. A bit of desperateness overtaking him, he explained, "I've told you before I'm the result of a night of too much drinking! This is just the extended version, Chetan! I mean, it has to be making a little more sense now why my father has nothing to do with me, right? He and Mum were on opposite sides, a half-blood son didn't fit in the life he wanted, even post-war, so he denied me and went on to have a couple of purebloods with a witch who had a similar background to him!" Now hugging himself, he muttered, "Do you understand now? Ro… Ro doesn't know, but that doesn't change things. He's my little brother and I have to watch out for him. You understand, right? I know you worked long and hard to make sure Harjeet's first boyfriend was a good lad."

"Your dad was a Death Eater?" Chetan said.

Severus looked up, confused. "Technically, I don't think Graham Montague was ever branded…"

"Oh, like that changes anything!" snapped the Gryffindor. "Merlin! I would never have thought!" Chetan rose to his feet and began to gesture wildly at him. "You're so– And they're so– Death Eaters killed my Gran! My mum cries about her every year on her birthday. How am I ever supposed to bring you home to meet my parents?"

Suddenly feeling sick and uneasy, Severus burst out in laughter. "Are you being serious right now? Heaps of people had family on each side of the war. I mean look at Teddy! His great aunts and uncles were both a part of Voldemort's cause and so was his cousin! You've never had a problem with him." Indignation washing over him the more other names and faces filter through his mind's eye, he pointed out, "Hell! Uncle Sev was technically a Death Eater too!"

"That's different! He was turncoat!" Chetan yelled back. "And Teddy's just a friend, they'd never have to meet his family!"

Severus gaped at his boyfriend. "What are you saying, Chetan? That you'll never let me and your family meet because the father I've never so much as _met_ is a Death Eater supporter?"

Chetan looked to his feet. "I'm saying we can't see each other anymore. There's no future for us."

"You're having a laugh at me, right? Come on, Chetan, you can't be serious."

The teenager firmly shook his head. "No. I'm telling you the truth. I can't… Mum doesn't know what Death Eater killed Gran and I'm not going to have her always wondering if it was _your_ father who did it, or his father, and being scared because you're one of their kids."

"Chetan!" Severus shouted, trying to snag his arm before he could flee, but he was too late and he was already at the room's doorway.

The teenager looked back at him, eyes big and regretful. "I'm sorry, Severus. Really."

He didn't try to run after him, just crumpled into a heap where he stood. Severus couldn't even cry when he did, too shocked by all that had just transpired between him and his boy– ex-boyfriend.

Severus finally knew. This was what it was like. When you were a Death-Eater's son, people didn't want to date you – let alone call you their boyfriend. This was what it was going to be like if it ever came out just who his father was. People would stop showing him favor and start to treat him with dislike. Severus wasn't sure he could handle that.

Maybe he should convince Rowan to inquire about studying abroad. Then, he wouldn't have to worry how he was doing all the way in back in Scotland while he was doing his apprenticeship with P. Falcon's in Australia. Severus laughed at the absurdity of the thought – there was no way the Montagues would agree to send him to school so far away, especially if it was only so he could be close to Severus! Oh no, once his father caught wind of that, Severus had no doubts he'd make sure to squash their friendship into the dirt.

When his laughter started to morph into sobs, Severus drew his knees close and buried his face in his lap. How could his life go so wrong so _quickly_?

-o-O-o-

"Here you are!"

Severus lifted his head from his knees to see Teddy standing in the doorway of the room. "Oh," he mumbled. "'Lo, Teddy."

His godbrother frowned a moment before he came over and sat right down beside him. "What's happened?" he asked. "Did Chetan not believe you?" The Hufflepuff chuckled. "Or did you cock things up before you even got that far?"

He shook his head and reburied his face in his knees. "No," he murmured. "I told him and he believed me…"

The warm weight of Teddy's hand on his back made Severus jump, but he quickly settled, comforted by the familiarness of his godbrother's touch. "Then why do you look like the world's come to an end?"

"Chetan… He broke up with me."

There was a sharp intake of breath, then, Teddy cursed, "The bastard! Why?"

"I… He said he couldn't be with a Death Eater's son, it wasn't fair to his mum or something."

Teddy leaned in closer, resting the full weight of his own body on Severus's. "I'm sorry, mate," he told him. "That sucks."

"Yeah."

"We should go and get you a pint," Teddy said.

Severus looked up, incredulous. "It's the morning," he told him. "And I know we missed Herbology already, but do you really want to miss Ancient Runes too? You said you have an exam in it next week!"

His godbrother shrugged and smiled. "To commiserate with you? A million times, Severus. You're my best mate."

In spite of everything, he found himself returning his friend's grin. "You're _the_ most dinkum mate there ever was," Severus told him.

Teddy chuckled as he pulled them both to their feet. "You know it."

-o-O-o-

Hours later, when Severus walked into Slytherin's common room, Rowan was there to meet him. His best mate practically leaped up from the table he'd been sitting at and almost tripped over his own two feet to get to Severus. Amused, Severus stepped forward to catch his friend's elbow and steady him. "You alright, mate?" asked Severus.

Eyes big and soulful, Rowan said, "I should be the one asking you that!"

Severus cocked his head. "What makes you say that?"

Rowan averted his eyes and flushed. "You… You and Chetan broke things off."

He forced himself not to flinch and instead forced a smile. "Ah, well, what was I going to do?" he replied while trying to keep his tone light. "He was going to hex you senseless!"

His best mate looked up at that. "Really? That's why you two broke up? Not because he found out your father's a Death Eater?"

"Bloody–" he covered his mouth and ran his other hand through his hair. Fucking Chetan! Merlin, how much did he tell Molly? And how much did Molly tell Victoire? And Victoire the rest of the school? Was he going to wake up tomorrow with Rowan and Ash standing over him demanding to know how long he knew they were all brothers?

Severus forced his hands down to his side and pushed a grin across his face. "Okay, so it was more mutual than one-sided, but, still." He did not want to get into his relationship with Chetan or his father with Rowan. What if he slipped up and said something that made it clear which Death Eater was his dad? What then? This day would become a horror show, that's what. "Let's not talk about it anymore." Severus threw an arm around Rowan's shoulder. "Milly 'round? Let's play a game of Snaps."

Rowan blinked his surprise, but nodded agreeably enough. "Um, yeah. She's right over there with Pucey…"

"Aces! Now come on…"

* * *

 **How'd you enjoy the chapter?**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	9. June, 2016

_Always Gold_

* * *

Just as Severus feared, things did change once it got around the school his father was a Death Eater (or good as, anyhow). It was in small ways, mostly. Gryffindors and he typically got on fairly well in the past, in spite of their houses rivalry with one another, and not just because he dated one of their own. Now, though, they were a little more reserved around him and some of those he used to talk to easily in the corridors between classes now wouldn't engage in conversation beyond one-word answers. Sometimes, it upset Severus. When it did, he'd remind himself he only had to last another month and he'd never have to see another one of the Gryffindors ever again if he was lucky.

The Hufflepuffs hadn't ever been his biggest fan, he was pretty sure they thought he got things he didn't deserve given to him (like his position on his house's Quidditch team) because of his familial connections with Aunt Edie, Hogwarts's librarian, and saw him as something of a slacker. Severus wouldn't disagree with that last assessment, for most of his schooldays, he _had_ been one. But he'd really made a point of turning that around in his sixth year so he'd be able to impress P. Falcon's with his grades and be accepted into their apprenticeship program upon graduation from Hogwarts. Now, though, they didn't bother to hide their dislike of him— even when he was with Teddy, one of their own. The loss of civility with the house was uncomfortable, but Severus tried to ignore it for the most part. He'd be gone soon, it didn't matter. Teddy still loved him and called him his best mate and that was all he cared about.

As for the Ravenclaws, the house had always treated him well enough, some talked to him, some didn't. He'd never taken much of their mercurial treatment personally. Lots of Ravenclaws lived in their own little worlds and weren't the most social creatures. Those that were friendly, though, he'd always got on with and they'd been a big help at the start of last year when he was fixing to turn his so-so grades into something brilliant. Thankfully, the ones that already liked him treated him no differently than before. He could see they were curious, though. None had asked outright, but they wanted to know who his dad was and he'd walked into the library more than once in the last couple of weeks to hear them whisper-debating over yearbooks who his father could be. Severus tried to avoid most of them now. He was afraid if he hung around the Ravenclaws and they decided to start a guessing game about his dad he'd give something away. He was expressive, like his cousin Esther, his mother used to tell him. Lying outright was something he'd never been good at.

Slytherin's opinion of him had changed the most. Previously, a lot of them, those who were closely related to true Death Eaters and not a turncoat spy like his uncle, anyway, had treated him with a wary regard for the most part. Always polite, but they'd never gone out of their ways to try and be congenial with him. In fact, some had been downright antagonistic, like Pius Warrington, who behaved as if he was a great offense to the Slytherin house just by being a member of it. Now, they'd become… not warm, but accepting in a way. They sent him knowing looks when Gryffindors he'd used to call friend rebuffed him and a sixth year he'd hardly said more than "pardon me" to after bumping into on the train years ago, called out a Hufflepuff who attempted to trip him on his way out of the Great Hall one day after dinner. It was kind of nice, actually. He finally understood why people were so loyal to their houses. He still wished he hadn't revealed his parentage to Chetan, but he couldn't help but wonder if his house would have had his back more when if they'd known he was from hateful family just like so many of them.

What had really changed was his relationship with Rowan, and his little brother, surprisingly enough. Rowan didn't press him to reveal who his father was, but he did insist quite often if Severus ever wanted to talk about him, he would listen and offer what advice he could. Whenever they hung out together, he knew his brother was holding his breath, hoping Severus would reveal all. He felt bad he couldn't. Severus had promised his mother and while it ate at him, more now than ever, he saw now she was very right. Rowan had enough problems with his parents. He didn't need to add to it through revealing their familial relation to one another. While he knew he shouldn't, Severus began to pull away from his brother a little and began to hiding in his aunt's quarters when possible.

Hiding, himself, however, didn't protect Severus's from his youngest brother's newfound interest in him. Before, Ash never had much to do with Severus given their age difference and the fact he'd easily and quickly made friends within his own year, unlike Rowan. Now, whenever Severus was in Slytherin's common room the boy was always circling around him like some kind of vulture, trying to find clever ways to make Severus reveal who his father was.

He wasn't sure, but Severus had a feeling Ash's mates had put him up to it. Rowan wanted to know too, of course, but he wouldn't send their little brother after him like this. He respected Severus more than that (he hoped). Then again, perhaps it hadn't just been Ash's mates or Rowan who convinced Ash to become a thorn in Severus's side, but all of Slytherin. He knew his house was just as curious as the Ravenclaws— even if most never dared to ask him or openly speculate. They were all very clever if they had voted Ash as the one to needle him into a breakdown, as much as he wanted to jinx the kid silly, there was no chance he was ever going to. He was his little brother (though, only Chetan and Teddy knew) and Severus wasn't going to have that on his conscience. Along with strength to deal with Ash, Severus prayed every day that even if Chetan wasn't his boyfriend anymore and had let it get out his father was a Death Eater follower, he wouldn't tell anyone who exactly was his dad was. Severus hadn't been that great of a boyfriend he knew, but he hadn't been shit enough to deserve that, he was sure.

As much as Severus tried to not let things get to him, when the first weekend in June came around, he made the decision to go and spend it in his aunt's quarters away from the rest of Hogwarts populous. It was all getting to be too much and he needed a break to build his reserves of patience back up.

-o-O-o-

Early on Sunday morning while he was brooding about the coming week on Aunt Edie's lounge room sofa, she walked in with breakfast floating behind her. Smiling at him in a playful manner, she gave one of his legs a pat. "Make room fer yehr old Aun' Edie."

Severus swung his legs off the sofa and sat up. "You're not old," he said while accepting a plate of sausage and toast from his aunt.

She chuckled. "Wha' a kind lie," said Aunt Edie. "It's fine, I know I'm no' the girl yehr uncle picked off the stree' anymore."

He shifted his gaze to his plate and began to cut his sausage up into small pieces. He never liked when Aunt Edie talked about her being old, it reminded Severus she wasn't going to always be around and imagining a day where he couldn't just call her on his floo was upsetting. "Still," replied Severus. "You look really good for fifty-something."

Aunt Edie grinned around her teacup. "Always the charmer," she told Severus. "Yeh ge' tha' from yehr mother."

Severus felt a ghost of a smirk pull at his lips. "Yeah?"

"Mmh," she agreed as she brought her cup away from her face and wrapped her hands around it. "So, wha's yehr plan fer termorrow? I can tell yeh everyone's jus' as curious as they were Friday abou' yehr father."

He slumped in his spot. "Ugh."

She sighed and reached over to pat his knee. "Yeh only have ter deal with it all another couple o' weeks." Her hazel eyes sparked gold a moment. "An' I can tell yeh they're very far from figurin' out who yehr dad is. I heard a wee lad sugges' it could be Bartimus Crouch. Tha' man wouldn' have been caugh' dead in the pubs your mother drank in, polyjuice o' no! Nevermind yeh two don' look a bi' alike!"

Severus barked a laugh. That was the most absurd guess he'd heard yet. Merlin, it was horrifying to realize just how little sense some of his fellow students had. Absently, he remarked, "Wow, I hope none of them try and ask me if he is. I don't know if I'll end up laughing at them or hexing them."

"Hex anyone an' yeh'll be gettin' detention, young man," Aunt Edie warned in a serious tone.

He snorted. "Really? And here I was hoping I'd get the chance to corner Chetan and scare the shit out of him like he and Molly did to Ro."

Aunt Edie stiffened and turned a sharp eye on him. "Wha'? How come I've heard nothin' o' this?"

"It's fine, Aunt Edie. Teddy and I took care of it before they could do anything to Ro."

She furrowed her brows into a high peak and put her cup down on the coffee table in front of them before she turned fully toward Severus. "It's no' yehr job ter handle things, bu' professors!"

He rolled his eyes. "Calm down, it's not like they tried they tried to feed him to a werewolf, just scare him a little."

Aunt Edie's face turned flush as she scowled at him. "Tha's no' funny," she snapped. "Yehr poor uncle had more nigh'mares than I'd ever seen the year Remus worked a' Hogwarts with him an' I know they were abou' tha' encoun'er with Remus's werewolf." Getting to her feet, his aunt began to tidy up their plates and cups as she ranted, "Albus Dumbledore should o' done _somethin'_ after Black tried ter feed yehr uncle ter Remus's werewolf! An' I have no intention o' being a woman like him an' lettin' Chetan or Molly ge' away with threatenin' poor Rowan!"

Severus hunched in on himself as his aunt's lecture went on. "Sorry," he finally mumbled when it was over. "Write the Weasleys and Suris if you think it's best, I was just trying to tell you it wasn't that bad and we handled it between us already."

His aunt stared at him a moment, dishes floating next to her. Finally, her irate expression gentled and she reached over to ruffle his hair. "Yehr a good lad, Severus. Bu' like I used ter tell yehr uncle, yeh don' have ter do everythin' on yehr own. I'm here, yehr mother an' cousins an' godfather are here. We wan' ter help. If yeh'd come ter one o' us when things took a bad turn with Chetan… Maybe yeh wouldn' have ter be dealin' with all o' these speculations and stress in yehr last month a' Hogwarts."

He nodded. "Maybe," he relented. Severus didn't think any advice they could have offered would have helped much in the long run, but he also couldn't prove it wouldn't have either. Reach up to wrap his aunt in a hug, he said, "Thank you for letting me stay the weekend. I really needed it."

His aunt returned the hug. "It was no trouble, my swee'. My home's open ter yeh always."

* * *

 **How'd you enjoy the chapter? Edie and Severus's scene?**

 **Thank you for reading :)**


	10. June, 2016 Cont

_Always Gold_

* * *

Severus smiled when he saw Rowan waiting for him outside of the transfiguration classroom when the seventh years' lesson let out for the day. Approaching his brother, he swung an arm around the younger's shoulders. "Hey, mate! What're you doing out here? Don't you have your charms study group with Wyatt White and Aiden Flint right now?"

Rowan's face went from neutral to nervous almost instantaneously. "Usually…" he mumbled.

"What? Did you find out the three of you like the same Sheila or something?" he teased, knowing there was absolutely no chance that it could be the case. Rowan had better taste than those two combined when it came to romantic interests. And everything else, if he did say so himself.

In all truthfulness, Severus didn't understand why Rowan even studied with them sometimes. White may be top in his year for charms, but a group of good, encouraging people would be equally helpful. Or better. Severus felt Rowan could do with spending more time with supportive peers. Especially over someone who treated him like a dunderhead for not being as inclined in a subject as they.

His brother frowned and stepped away from him. "No, that's not it," he said. "It's…" he sighed and shook his head a little. "Can we go somewhere and talk a bit? In private?"

Severus's heart gave a particularly hard thump at the request. Don't tell him Rowan had figured out who his dad was. Oh, Severus hoped it wasn't that; things were only now starting to calm down. He had been wanting to finish his last two weeks at Hogwarts as quietly as possible. Given the circumstance, anyway. In spite of his fears, he laughed like nothing was wrong and agreed, "Sure, Ro. Got a place in mind for us?"

-O-

Fifteen minutes later they were sitting in one of Hogwarts's more hidden courtyards. Rowan seemed pretty familiar with the place as he'd lead them into it. Even more so when he took them around a large pillar covered in half-dead vines to a tiny alcove. In the alcove, a cracked stone bench resided. Severus got the impression few came here. And those who did did not include Hogwarts's caretaker or the castle's professors. They'd never let a bench stay broken like this when it was so easy to mend with the right combination of spells. They all took a lot of pride in keeping Hogwarts in "tip-top shape", as his aunt would say.

Rowan went over and took a seat on the broken bench. He then turned an expectant gaze on Severus, staying silent as he waited for Severus to take a seat next to him. Still feeling a little jittery and scared, Severus joked, "Nice spot. Bring a lot of Sheilas out here?"

His brother rolled his eyes. "Milly showed me it when we were younger and still exploring the castle on the weekends," he explained. Then, in a lower tone he muttered, "I reckon she's brought a lot more lads here than I've ever brought girls."

"Hey, now," Severus chided. He hated when Rowan got down on himself. His brother was honest to Merlin _nice_. He did stuff in the name of being helpful to others. Which was more than a lot of their fellow Slytherins (Severus included) did. Whatever girl ended up marrying Rowan would be the luckiest witch in all of Britain. If not the world, Severus was certain. With great reluctance, Severus took the seat beside his brother. He couldn't bear to listen to Rowan beat himself up any more than he already had. "So, what did you want to have a chin-wag about?" he asked.

The younger teenager began to fidget with the hem of his sleeve. "I've been patient," he started. "I've told myself there's a reason you'd tell Chetan first and not me, your best mate beside Teddy, yet…"

Severus took a moment to make sense of Rowan's jumbled utterance. When he realized what his brother was getting at, Severus wasted no time in reassuring him. He grabbed the younger's hand and said, "Oh, Ro—"

"Don't 'oh, Ro' me," Rowan snapped, pulling away from Severus. "Tell me. Why? Why did you trust someone who _wasn't_ trustworthy with who your father is instead of me? I've been your best mate for _years_ and Chetan was your boyfriend hardly for one!"

"Ro."

His brother only glared at him, arms crossed and an expectant air to him.

Severus wasn't usually speechless, but he was now. What did he say? Do? How could he explain that him telling Chetan had nothing and everything to do with Rowan? He parted his lips, only to seal them once more. He turned his head. He stared down at where his hands rested in his lap. Finger by finger, they balled into fists. When did Rowan become entitled to knowing every little thing about Severus?

He hadn't!

Overtaken by a surge of rage, he hissed, "I don't have to explain myself to you." The spark of fury in his chest now a bonfire burning him up from the inside out, Severus rose to his feet. He pointed an accusing finger at his brother. "Who are you to even demand answers? Where the _Hell_ do you get off being cross with me about who _I_ choose to tell who _my_ father is! You're not my brother!"

Severus regretted his words the moment they left his lips.

Rowan stared back up at him, the adoration that had been so synonymous with his gaze now gone. In its place lay contempt and heartbreak. "My apologies," he muttered. "I guess we aren't as close as I thought we were." Rowan rose to his feet. Severus found himself startled when he realized they were the same height. When had that happened? When had his little brother grown so tall? His brother looked to his hands a moment. "When I was little, I dreamed of having a big brother, somebody who'd always fight for me." Rowan chuckled. "I thought I'd got my wish when you rescued me from those bullies in my first year and took me under your wing." Rowan met Severus's gaze once more. "I guess I was wrong."

The younger teenager stepped back and turned away from Severus. "See you around, Snape."

"Rowan!" he yelled after him.

His brother ignored his cry and picked up his pace. Severus started to run after him, only to come to a halt when Rowan spun around, wand pointed in his direction.

Eyes wet, he demanded, "Leave me alone! Or I'll curse you!"

Severus put up his hands. "Alright," he whispered. "Alright, Ro."

"And stop calling me that! I'm not a child anymore. Call me Ro _wan_ like everyone else!"

He swallowed thickly and ignored the way his own eyes began to tear up. "Okay, Rowan."

His brother glared at him a moment more before angrily wiping his eyes and turning heel to stalk away from him.

Severus fought ever instinct that screamed at him to run after the younger teenager. That wasn't what Rowan wanted. Severus wasn't going to disrespect his brother any more than he already had.

-o-O-o-

The Three Broomsticks was busier than ever. Severus's peers were squeezing in their last moments with their mates and lovers before the school year's end. Some were there to have fun. Those students were drinking butterbeer and playing Exploding Snaps at the tables nearest the bar. While others had decided to turn the pub into a study hall for their final exams this coming week. They had their noses buried in textbooks with empty tea and coffee cups piling up around them. As for Severus, he was using it as a place to wallow.

Seated at the bar, he was nursing a mug of half-drunk ale between his hands. Staring down into the pale liquid he thought over the last week. He should have run after Rowan, not let him just walk away. Sure, his brother may have cursed him, but wouldn't Severus have deserved it? He'd said he wasn't his brother. Maybe only he knew their true relationship, but Rowan had made it clear he thought of Severus as one in spite of his ignorance.

Severus had thought he could apologize after he left Rowan alone to calm down for a couple of days. As well as properly explain why Chetan got to know something so personal about Severus first. However, Rowan was doing an extremely good job of ignoring and avoiding him. His little brother hadn't looked at him once since that afternoon in the courtyard. Severus feared he would never again at this rate.

He was abruptly pulled from his musings when a familiar skinny body took the seat nex to him. He glanced up and saw Teddy ordering himself a glass of pumpkin juice. He didn't like to drink anything strong during the day, unlike Severus. Once his godbrother had his glass of pumpkin juice, he turned his gaze on Severus and quirked one eyebrow.

"I fucked shit up, Teddy."

Teddy's eyes turned a warm golden hue. "I know, but he'll forgive you," he said as he reached out to lay a hand on his arm.

Severus felt his lip tremble. "Will he?" asked Severus. "I said he wasn't my _brother_."

His godbrother sighed and brought his arm up to wrap it around his shoulder. "Give him some time, Severus," he advised. "I'm sure he won't let you leave Hogwarts without putting this behind the two of you. He loves you."

"D'you really think so?" Severus whispered into Teddy's shoulder.

There was a beat of hesitation on the Hufflepuff's part. "…I really hope so, yeah."

Severus understood what that meant. Teddy knew no better than he if this was something they'd overcome before he left Hogwarts forever. "Merlin, kill me," he muttered.

Teddy gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Come on, Severus. Don't say that. No matter what… _I'm_ always going to be here for you, okay?"

"Thanks, mate," Severus replied bringing his own arm up to bring Teddy in for a side-hug. Then, softer, he said, "I love you."

Briefly, Teddy rested his head atop Severus's shoulder. "Love you too, brother."

-o-O-o-

Severus boarded the boat holding Teddy and his godbrother's fellow Hufflepuff, Emily Truman. He cast Truman an apologetic glance when he accidentally stepped on her toes while making room for Ravenclaw's now retired Quidditch captain, Miko Ishida. The brunette rolled her eyes in reply. Severus returned the gesture before refocusing on the students watching him and his fellow seventh-years load the boats and depart across Black Lake.

Eyes roving over the gathered lower-years, Severus had little trouble finding Rowan. He was among the Slytherin fifth-years. When their eyes met, his brother stared back stone-faced. Severus balled his hands into fists. In spite of his best efforts and Teddy's greatest hopes, there had been no reconciliation. Rowan wouldn't let him. Now…

He swallowed back a loud, jagged sob. Now Severus didn't think there ever would be. This was it. This was there end. Severus was leaving for Australia tomorrow morning and he didn't know when— If he'd ever return to Britain once he'd gone home.

A professor came and released their boat. Slowly, they began to drift away from Hogwarts. Severus never once took his eyes off his little brother's emotionless countenance. Only when Rowan was a muddled dot of red and black mixed with other black, brown, and blond and dots did Severus blink. With it, came a silent stream of tears.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

* * *

 **Well, how do you feel about this chapter?**

 **On a different note, if you'd like more of Severus the first, I've recently released a companion piece to the first scene in ch.4, "Chance Encounters", of _Black Eyes._ It's that scene told from Lily's perspective.**

 **Thanks a million for reading :)**


	11. November, 2021

_Always Gold_

* * *

As was the way of things, the world continued to turn. Severus returned to Australia. He moved back in with his mother while he apprenticed with P. Falcon's and when, two years later, he was offered a real, paying job with their design department he took it. He moved into his own flat. A few months after, Severus met a cute bloke while having a drink with some coworkers at a pub near P. Falcon's shop.

They started to date. He found out the bloke, Jesse, had a son from a hook-up-gone-wrong when he was nineteen and still figuring out if he was gay or bisexual (he'd settled on gay shortly thereafter, but it was too late by then. His hook-up was already pregnant). He hadn't really thought much of ankle-biters in the past, but that changed quickly once he met Jesse's son, Leo. The little bloke was the sweetest kid he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing. Severus decided there and then he wanted more than just Jesse in his life. He wanted both the son and father. After their first-year anniversary, Severus and Jesse moved in together and started having Leo stay with them every week for a couple of days at a time. When Leo's mother was offered an extended work opportunity abroad in China seven months later, Severus didn't even have to think about it when Jesse asked if he'd be okay with having Leo live with them almost full time.

And that was how life was five years post-Hogwarts. He worked for P. Falcon's designing brooms, came home every day to his boyfriend and his boyfriend's kid. Some weekend they went to visit his mum. Other weekends, they saw Jesse's parents. Every now and then, it was just the two of them when Leo was off visiting with his mother or her family. He wrote Teddy often, his Aunt a little less so, and all of his cousins for the important holidays, like Christmas and their birthdays. But never Rowan. The other made it clear before Severus left Hogwarts he wanted nothing to do with him any longer.

All in all, Life was good. He was happy. Perhaps, in a few months, he'd be more so if Jesse said yes when he proposed on their third anniversary.

However, as he'd learned years ago, things couldn't stay as they were. Something always would come to ruin what little joy Severus had managed to scrabble together for himself.

The first day of November started more or less like the last day of October had. Severus was rushing to get his parchments for work together and prepare a lunch so he wouldn't have to pop out of his office later to buy one. While he was shoving the dimensions for the newest broom they were designing at P. Falcon's into his satchel, he saw that Jesse's son was standing over by the door wearing only one shoe.

Exasperated by the sight, he asked the freckle-faced boy, "Leo, why are you only wearing one shoe?"

The boy looked up from the picture book he was reading and shrugged. "I dunno where the other is."

Severus dragged a hand through his already tousled hair. "Don't know—" He stopped short and sighed. "Fine," he muttered as he stood up and situated his satchel across his body. "Accio Leo's right sneaker!" he called out.

The shoe zoomed out from under the sofa's dust ruffle in the other room and into his hand. He quickly handed it off to Leo as Jesse wandered into the hall, still dressed in his pajamas and coughing a bit into his hand.

"Feeling any better?" Severus asked as he walked over to caress his boyfriend's cheek.

Jesse's brown eyes warmed and he smiled. "Just the cough's left," he answered.

Severus leaned in for a kiss. "That's good," he mumbled as he pulled away.

"Love, are you working late tonight?"

He put out his hands in a gesture of uncertainty. "It depends if Robertson remembered to sign off on my design for the broom bristles last night or no," he answered.

Jesse hummed his understanding, a thoughtful furrow starting on his brow. "D'you think you can owl or floo call me a yes or no before I leave for my shift at the cauldron shop at ten?"

"Probably," he replied before looking over to the little boy standing by the door. He made an aggravated sound when he saw that the shoe he'd given him was sprawled upside on the floor and the boy had his face buried once more in the book he was reading. Just shy of stomping over, he yelled, "Leo! Your sneaker's right there! Why aren't you wearing it yet!"

The little boy closed his book and whined, "I can't do it! The laces are tied up!"

"Merlin, Morgana, and Mordred, kid!" Severus grumbled covering his eyes. When he let his hand fall away, he crouched down to help out Leo with his shoe. When done, he looked over to where Jesse watched on with a faintly amused smirk. "Did you give your mum this much of a hassle about leaving the house when you were an ankle biter, Jesse?"

His boyfriend averted his gaze and started for the kitchen. "I can't recall," said as he stepped into the other room. Raising his voice so he would be heard, Jesse told Severus," you'll have to ask her when you drop off Leo at her place."

"I'll take that for a yes, then," he shouted back

Jesse's laughter drifted out into the hall, only to stop suddenly. "Hey, Severus, your mum's calling!" he croaked.

Severus groaned. "Ugh, I don't have time!"

"She says it'll just take a minute."

Shoulders slumping in defeat, he walked into the kitchen. "Alright, fine."

Upon seeing her unusually grim face staring out at him from the green flames, he asked, "How ya going, Mum?"

"Your cousin Esther just called," she informed Severus in a thick voice. "She had some news."

Severus was overcome by a rush of dread. Stepping closer to the hearth, he said, "Oh? Everybody okay?"

She shook her head and looked away from him. "Not quite," whispered Mum. "Mr. Mulpepper passed the other night. The funeral is next week. I know you didn't know him like your cousins, but he was very much a grandfather to them all."

His heart gave a painful thump. He may not have known Mr. Mulpepper too well, that was true, but he had seen the bloke on occasion and remembered the old man had always been kind to him. "I'm sorry, Mum," he whispered. "D'you want me to come by later?"

Returning her gaze to him, an odd look overcame her face as she began, slowly,"…I was wondering actually if you might come with me to the funeral. I know your cousins and Aunt Edie could do with some support."

Severus began to twists his wand between his hands as his nerves got the better of him. "I dunno, Mum. This is pretty short notice and, like you said, we weren't too close. I remember liking the bloke the few times I saw him and all, but this…"

"Please, Severus," she warbled chin trembling. "For me. For them. You can even bring Jesse and Leo if you like, I'll pay for them."

"Mum, I can't let you do that!" he refused, aghast at the offer. Maybe he and Jesse weren't rich, but they were comfortable and could usually budget in a little holiday once a year.

"I want to," his mother told him with a firm frown. "Everyone can finally meet each other properly and it'll make everything feel not so bleak when they see in another year or two they'll be coming down under for a wedding."

"Mum!" Severus scolded, looking over his shoulder to the doorway that opened out into the hall. He knew Jesse was out there. Severus had watched from the corner of his eye as his boyfriend stepped out upon his mother announcing the death of Mr. Mulpepper. "I haven't proposed yet."

She rolled her eyes unapologetically at Severus. "You will soon enough, I'm sure Jesse knows it as well."

Severus sighed and rubbed a hand across the stubble on his chin. He'd been avoiding Britain since his graduation from Hogwarts and had hoped to for another few years. He'd been realistic, knowing it would only be a matter of time before he had to go back for Teddy and Victoire's wedding, but he hadn't prepared to have to go back so soon. Meeting his mother's gaze in the fire, he almost pursed his lips to say no, but, instead, replied. "Yes, fine. We'll come with you."

Walking forward to douse the fire, he said, "Bye, Mum."

"I love you, Severus," she returned before he put out the flames.

A moment later, Jesse poked his head into the room. "You'll be working late tonight, won't you?" he asked in a rhetorical way.

Severus nodded. "Probably the rest of the week too," he added. "Mum wants us to go to Britain with her for an old family friend's funeral."

His boyfriend blinked his surprise. "All of us?"

"Yeah, she'll pay for you and Leo." Severus hesitated. "You don't have to come. I can tell her you can't get off work or something."

"No, I want to," Jesse insisted. "I wish I'd be meeting your whole family under better circumstances, but this is good. It'll be aces to finally know all the people you tell me about by name and face."

Severus grinned and rushed his boyfriend for a quick snog. When he pulled away, he whispered, "You're amazing, Jesse. I don't know how I ever got so lucky with you and the ankle biter."

His boyfriend smiled. "Love you too, Severus."

-o-O-o-

"Merlin, is that you Severus Snape?"

Severus turned around to find a familiar face grinning at him. "Milly!" he exclaimed, delighted to see his old housemate. She looked well. She still was a heavier witch, but her curves appeared to have come in since he last saw her and gave her a rather attractive hourglass figure and she'd finally found a flattering cut for her hair that made her face appear longer and thinner instead of round and pudgy.

Going up to the younger woman, he opened his arms for a friendly embrace, which she eagerly threw herself in. When they pulled apart, he said, "You look just smashing."

She giggled. "Thanks," she said. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"Severus?" he heard called from behind him.

He twisted around to see his boyfriend and Leo come around the corner of the aisle next to the one he'd been in. "Over here, Jesse," he called. "I just bumped into an old schoolmate."

Jesse smiled at them, eyes bright with interest. Taking his son by the hand, he led them over to where Severus and Milly stood. "Jesse Taylor," he said, giving his hand to Milly to shake. When done, he laid his hands on Leo's shoulders and brought the five-year-old to stand in front of him. "This is my son, Leo." He smiled down on the towheaded boy. "C'mon, be polite, say hi to Severus's mate."

Leo did them both proud and grinned up at Milly. "Hello, what's your name?"

Milly crouched down a little and gave her hand to Leo, so he could shake it as his father had. "I'm Milly, it's a pleasure to meet you."

After shaking hands, the little boy laughed and pulled away to bury his face in Jesse's legs. Severus reached over to tousle the kid's hair. "He gets a little shy now and then," he explained.

His old schoolmate nodded in understanding. "My boyfriend's littlest sister is exactly the same."

This piqued Severus's interest. "Boyfriend?" he purred. "Are you free for a bite or drinks tomorrow? I'd love to catch up with you."

Milly grinned back. "I can be," she said. "Would five thirty for a round at the Broomsticks work for you?"

"Yeah," Severus replied. Realizing he should have okayed this meet-up with Jesse, he turned to his boyfriend and apologized. "Sorry, love, didn't mean to ignore you there. Will you be okay if I pop out for an hour or two with Milly tomorrow? You could come with even, I'm sure Mum and Aunt Edie'd love to have a couple of hours alone with Leo to spoil him."

His boyfriend shook his head. "Nah, it's fine," he reassured Severus. "I don't mind spending a couple of hours with your mum and aunt while you do a bit of catching up."

Severus leaned over to press a kiss of gratitude to Jesse's shaved cheek. "Thank you, Jesse."

The other man rolled his eyes. "Oh, you."

He barked a laugh at the other's reaction before turning back to Milly. "I'll see you then? I'd chat a bit more with you, but we just popped in to see if we couldn't find a couple of postcards to send back to Jesse's parents and Leo's mum. We've got dinner plans with the cousins, Teddy, and Harry and his brood in fifteen."

Milly waved them off. "Yes, I will. That's just fine. I was just popping for some ink myself. See you, Severus!"

"Bye!" he shouted back as they walked away from the witch. Severus reached over and took the postcards in Jesse's hands then. Waving them at Leo, who stood between them, he said, smiling, "Let's go buy these, hm?"

* * *

 **How did you like this chapter?**

 **Thank you for reading :)**


	12. November, 2021 Cont

_Always Gold_

* * *

The pub Milly had picked to have a couple drinks at was a busy place. It seemed to be holding some sort of board game event and there were people filling up all of the tables sharing pitchers of beer and taking shots as they played the games scattered around the dining area. Severus thought it all looked rather fun and wished he was in England long enough to come to a night like this with Jesse to play some games (too bad they were heading home Sunday night).

Finishing his beer, he smiled along as Milly finished telling him her funny anecdote about her boyfriend of a year, Ben Jordan. From the way she talked about him, Severus just knew Ben was a good guy. Which, really, wasn't too huge of a surprise. His dad was Lee Jordan, a family friend of a couple of the older Weasleys. Weasleys were aces at finding loyal mates. Laughing at the appropriate spot as Milly finished her tale, Severus put down his empty glass and took a deep breathe as he dried his sweaty palms on his pants.

It was now or never.

"D'you ever talk to Rowan?"

Milly paused with her pint of beer just barely touching her lips. An uneasiness came into her eyes and she took a long gulp from her glass before she set it down on the bartop next to his own empty pint glass. "Sometimes," she answered, tone halting. "We both work in the Ministry, you know? From time to time we'll bump into one another in the canteen while getting an afternoon coffee or tea." Milly sighed and shook her head. "I try to make small talk with him while we wait in the queue, but…" Fiddling with a bracelet on her wrist, she says, "I know more about his little brother than I do him these days. Becca, one of Ben's sisters, is good mates with Ash's girlfriend. She tells me a lot how it's frustrating to watch Ash's girlfriend constantly act as a go-between for Ash and Rowan. I guess Rowan's had something of a falling out with his parents and Ash. Ash wants everyone to be a happy family and well—" Milly fell quiet with a big, helpless shrug.

Severus ran his finger around the rim of his empty glass and contemplated asking the man behind the counter for another pint. He really shouldn't, he knew. He was already feeling a little too buzzed for a Wednesday. Not to mention he had a funeral to attend early tomorrow. "When you see him, he looks— Does he look okay to you?"

His friend nodded and grabbed her drink once more. "He usually looks tired, but otherwise."

"That's… Good. I'm glad he's fine."

Milly eyed him as she sipped her pint. "I have a pretty decent idea of when he goes to the canteen for some afternoon caffeine. Would you like me to invite you to a late lunch on, say, Friday?"

He immediately began to toss his head side to side. "No, no," he assured. "I just wanted to know he's alive and kicking, is all."

"I'm sure whatever happened between you two is water under the bridge now."

Severus pursed his lips and looked away. "I'm sure it's not."

"I hate to be a nosey Nancy, but what exactly happened with you two? One day you were the best of friends and then the next—"

He snapped his gaze to Milly and stared at her a long, hard moment. Finally, Severus asked, "Can I tell you something? Something opinion-shattering?"

Milly didn't hesitate. She simply dipped her chin and reached over to give his hand a comforting stroke. "Of course. We're mates, aren't we?"

He smiled, no grimaced, at his old schoolmate. "Yeah, we are," he agreed, more so than he and Rowan were these days, anyway. "Now will prove just how strong our friendship it is too." He breathed in, then out. "My dad's Graham Montague."

"What?" she gaped, blinking rapidly. "Graham _Montague_? Like, Rowan and Ash Montagues' _father_?"

Severus shushed Milly and said, "Yeah, that's it. He and my Mum had a shag in some dirty pub bathroom and, boom, I came into existence. Mum told the bloke, but he refused to have a thing to do with me."

"Did you tell Rowan all of this?"

"No!" he exclaimed, aghast. "I told Chetan, 'cause he was being a jealous fuckstick, and then Rowan found out I gave him my father's name and he thought I didn't trust him and then I yelled at him when he tried to get on my case about it and after he wouldn't hear an apology from me."

"That's so bloody _stupid_ ," Milly muttered, her pint now finished and held in both hands. "Only a pair of boys could let a friendship encompassing of _years_ fall apart over something so idiotic."

Severus puffed out his cheeks, slightly offended. "Hey," he grumbled. "I tried to apologize."

Milly scoffed. "What, once? _Twice_?" Severus tried to protest, but she put a hand and sighed. "Look, I don't care that you don't want to anymore. Come have a late lunch with me on Friday at the Ministry. It's been _years_ , I'm sure he'll be willing to talk. And if not, I'll spell Rown in Goddamn place so at the very least you can talk _at_ him."

He stared at his old classmate and wondered when Milly learned to be so forceful. "You're a real ball-buster, do you know that?" he asked.

She smirked, then laughed. "I don't think I'd call myself that!" she told him. "But I have grown up since we last saw each other, haven't we?" Milly grinned and teased, "I blame it on Ben's youngest sister, Jasmin. She can be an obstinate little thing and it takes a true force to get her to do something she doesn't want to!"

Severus found himself chuckling. "Ankle biters really change you," he remarked, "usually for the better."

The playfulness on Milly's face faded a little and she reached for the hand Severus had resting on the bartop once again. "They really do," she agreed.

He returned her touch with a gentle squeeze to her fingers before hopping off his stool. "It's been fun, but I got get home to the Mister and kid. I'll see you Friday, alright?"

"I'll owl you the time," Milly replied before hugging him goodbye. "I hope Mr. Mulpepper's funeral goes smoothly for you and your family tomorrow."

When Severus pulled himself out of her embrace, he nodded. "Thanks, Milly." As he left, he paused to turn and wave at her as she finished paying the man behind the bar for her drink. "See you!" he called across the pub.

She wriggled her fingers back and Severus left, his stomach in more knots than he'd come in with.

-o-O-o-

It was just the two of them in the room Aunt Edie had lent them for their stay. For now, Leo was out in the kitchenette having tea with some of Severus's younger cousins. As they changed out of their dress robes, Jesse remarked while putting on a more comfortable shirt, "What a good bloke, it's too bad that this was the way I had to meet him." He paused a moment in doing up the buttons of his shirt. His head tilted in the way it always did when something new occurred to him as he added, "And say goodbye."

"Yeah," replied Severus with a cringe-like smile. "Mum always told me he was like a kindly grandfather to her growing up. He was always slipping her sweets when she was an ankle biter, praising her intelligence every time she did something remotely clever. He also insisted she'd be more than just somebody's wife the older she got and the more boy-talk came up…" Severus brought the heel of his hand to his eye and wiped away the start of tears. Mr. Mulpepper had never been quite so important to him, but it was really starting to hit him just how _great_ a loss this had to be his mother. She'd probably not experienced such devastation since the war, since her brother died, since Severus's father rejected him. Severus would really need to go check on her a little later to see if she needed him. Clearing his throat, he continued, in a voice a little too chipper, "He ended up being a lot more to the cousins, since Uncle Sev died when they were all just half-grown, but I think Mum always appreciated their special relationship all the same."

Eyes warm, Jesse reached over to rub Severus's arm up and down in comforting motion. "I bet," he murmured in a gentle tone. "Everyone needs a person who's always in their corner."

Severus laughed around the lump in his throat, grief renewed, but this time, for Rowan. That'd been Severus once, the person in his brother's corner and now… Now, who knew if Ro had anybody at all? "They sure do," he croaked.

Jesse's hand moved to under his chin, which he then lifted to make Severus meet the concerned gaze he had been avoiding. "Hey, what's with the long face all of a sudden? Is it all just hitting you? We can take a mo' if you need to."

"No, no," he assured. "It's just…" Severus sighed. "You remember how I'm catching a late lunch with Milly tomorrow?"

Confusion dimpled his soon-to-be-fiancé's brow. "Yes, what about it?"

He took a deep breath. "Lunch isn't actually lunch, but an ambush attempt on my brother."

Jesse's hand fell away and Severus could see a rigidity sharpening his usually relaxed shoulders. "Which one?"

"Ro."

The other gave a short jerk of his head and replied, "Okay."

Severus frowned, unease and irritation overcoming him as he went back to pulling off his slacks and finding the other pair he wanted to wear. "That's all you've got to say?" he asked over his shoulder as he pulled out his favorite pair of daks from his and Jesse's suitcase.

Jesse grumbled, "Crickey, Severus, what else am I supposed to? You know me, what I think. I've been telling you since I first found you moping about Rowan that you should try and write him an apology, an explanation."

Buttoning up his daks and turning to face his soon-to-be-fiancé, he asked, "So you approve?"

The other raked a hand through his hair and groaned. "No, but I can see your set on doing this. I just hope you don't end up hurting yourself more in the chaos you're going to create surprising the poor bloke like this."

Severus started to turn away from Jesse, hurt. "I see you're not in my corner."

Before he could, though, a hand was on his shoulder, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Hey, hey," soothed Jesse, "you know I am, Severus. But that doesn't mean I'm always going to be your yes-man. Sometimes, I'm going to give you the truth because it's what you need." Jesse danced his fingers up and down Severus's spine as his warm breath fanned across the stiff tendons in Severus's neck. "I think you really need to consider if this is how you want to try and reconcile with your brother… It may not go well if he ends up feeling cornered." He pulled back briefly, gazing into Severus's eyes. "I just don't want to see you more hurt," he whispered.

He relaxed and finally returned his soon-to-be-fiancé's hug. "Love you," he murmured into Jesse's ear.

Jesse hummed happily. "Back at ya, babe."

* * *

 **Been a while :) Thoughts on this chapter?**

 **While I haven't updated _Always Gold_ recently, it doesn't mean I haven't been busy! Since the last update, I've written and begun to upload a new story called _Boy-Snape_ which centers on Sirius and a de-aged Severus lost in a woods after a duel gone wrong in Hogsmeade and their journey to get back to Hogwarts. A new chapter has also been added to my time-travel epic _They Didn't Know We Were Seeds_ in the meantime too.**

 **Thank you for reading :)**


	13. November, 2021 Cont II

_Always Gold_

* * *

Severus had thought about backing out of lunch with Milly all morning, but the closer it came for him to leave, the surer he felt in going. He was starting to realize he didn't have to make this some big show. He could start small, pretend to casually see his little brother waiting in the queue for coffee and tea and wave. Maybe get up and go to say hello and chin-wag a little, exchange addresses so they could send letters. This reunion didn't have to be an earth-shattering experience. It could be small, the first step in what was probably going to be a long road to the unification of their old friendship, their brotherhood.

As he pulled on his robe to leave, he said to Jesse, "I think I'll just try to say hey. That shouldn't freak him out, right?"

Jesse, who was in the midst of reading an old picture book that belonged to one of the older cousins when they were littlies to Leo, looked up and shrugged. "I wouldn't think so, but I guess you'll find out soon enough."

Severus sighed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jess."

"Sorry, I'm sure she'll be apples in the end." His soon-to-be-fiancé waggled his eyebrows at Severus then. "Wanna a kiss for good luck?"

He laughed and walked over to the sofa Jesse and Leo were sharing. Leaning down to reach Jesse's lips, he exchanged a quick, hard kiss. "Love you," he mumbled before pulling back.

"Back at ya, babe," Jesse replied.

Before Severus could stand back up, however, Leo's little hand grabbed the front of his robe. "Me too!" he demanded.

Severus eyed the kid with an impish smirk. "What, you don't think your dad's kiss gave me enough luck?"

Leo pouted a moment, then, muttered, "No."

He exchanged an amused look with Jesse and laughed. "Alright then," said Severus. Leaning in, he let the little boy press a slightly wet kiss to his cheek. When he was done, he returned it with a raspberry to the boy's own cheek, earning a shrieking giggle for his trouble. "Thanks, mate," he said as he stood up. "I'm sure my lunch with Milly will be aces 'cause of you!"

The boy beamed. Severus chuckled a little more before ruffling the kid's hair and then heading for the floo. As he grabbed a fistful of the powder he paused a moment to take a calming breath. Everything would be fine. It had to be, right?

-o-O-o-

Severus and Milly made a half-hearted attempt at conversation while they watched for Rowan to enter the canteen. Milly was doing her best to fill the silence with mouthfuls of her lunch, but Severus could hardly bring himself to so much as lift his fork, let alone eat his meal. He was far too nervous. As time inched by, he started to fear that his little brother wasn't going to show up. Maybe he had a meeting or was at home sick for the day or— Or—

His breath caught in his throat. There. There was Rowan. His little brother. The kid he used to know was now definitely a man. He was taller, broader in the shoulders, and he had a short, well-maintained beard and mustache. Ro looked like an honest to Merlin professional and Severus… His fingers subconsciously went to his ratty sweater. The first gift Jesse had ever given him, well-loved, and well-worn. Why hadn't he thought to dress up? This was the bloody Ministry, wasn't it?

He blamed it on his own job. P. Falcon's had a rather casual dress-code for their broom designers and builders. Severus's work involved a lot of intensive spell sessions, wood-working, and test-flying. It really didn't make sense for people in his position to come into work in their Sunday's best when they were going to be sweating in it, getting their clothes rumpled and ruffled from flying, as well as covered in sawdust and straw-bits while putting together test brooms.

"Rowan!" Milly called suddenly, having spotted the man herself now.

Severus's brother looked their way and froze mid-stride when his gaze landed on Severus. He attempted to smile at Rowan, but knew he looked like he was cringing. For his part, Rowan looked behind him, as if he was contemplating fleeing. Severus's heart panged with hurt. It seemed the past wasn't water under the bridge.

Milly, however, was undeterred by the fact Rowan appeared to be looking for an escape route. Instead, she called again, "Rowan! Look who's back in England!"

His little brother was now red in the face. Other Ministry employees were looking over at them, curious. Severus wanted to disappear; this wasn't what he'd wanted he realized now. Rowan had to be feeling cohered as he slowly started to walk over to them as Milly continued to wave him over. When his brother finally stopped in front of his and Milly's table and the gazes around them began to turn their attention elsewhere, their initial curiosity now sated, Severus offered his hand to Rowan. "How ya going, Rowan?"

Rowan just stared at his hand and for a breath-stopping moment, Severus even feared he might spit on it before Rowan grabbed his hand and gave it a hard, almost painful squeeze. "Fine," answered Rowan. "You?"

"Could be better," he replied honestly as he brought his hand back to rest on his knee beneath the table.

Rowan didn't ask for clarification, just nodded and turned his gaze over to Milly. "How's your day going?"

Milly smiled and gestured over to Severus. "Just lovely! I've convinced Severus here to meet up with me one last time before he heads home to Australia again."

Rowan seemed to internally debate if he wanted to address this new information before he grudgingly asked Severus, "So you're on holiday here?"

"I don't know if I'd call it a holiday," Severus replied, poking his fork around in his beans. "We came up for a funeral. Though, admittedly, there have been good moments too." He glanced over to Milly and smiled, "Like lunch and the drinks I and Milly shared a couple of nights ago."

"My condolences," Rowan offered with a truly sympathetic inflection.

Severus relaxed a bit and thanked him, "Thanks, mate."

Rowan frowned, a harsh light flaring to life in his eyes. "You still think we're that close, do you?"

He bit back the urge to snap something less than kind and looked over to Milly. "Would you mind ordering us some pudding?" He reached into his pocket for his wallet and pulled out a handful of coins. "My treat."

Milly looked nervously between the two of them, but then accepted the coins and told them, "Don't kill each other, all right?"

"No promises," Rowan bit as the young woman got up to wait in the nearby food queue.

When she was away, Severus looked up at Rowan and said, "Look, I know I fucked shit up all those years ago, but I tried to make it right too. It's you who wouldn't let it happen."

"Not very hard," Rowan spat back.

He sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair. "You wanna take this somewhere else? Somewhere private? Really hash it all out?"

Rowan stared back for a long, long moment, face hard. "Would you be honest? About everything?"

"Of course!" Severus assured with no small amount of bewilderment. What the Hell else would he be anyway? He wanted to start to fix things between them so one day they could be friends again, so Leo could have another uncle as he grew up. What would more lies do but ruin that attempt?

Rowan crossed his arms. "You weren't, not before."

Severus tilted his head and really looked at his brother. He… He knew, didn't he? Rowan knew they were brothers. That would explain some things too, like why he was on the outs with his family. It made him wonder if Ash did too. Should Severus think about paying a quick visit to his youngest brother too before he left? Or at least try and send a letter when he got home? He'd have to ask Rowan during their discussion later (that was if he planned to agree to one).

"Yeah, well, I'd made some promises," admitted Severus. "Now they're all done and I can say whatever the Hell I want."

His brother nodded. "Fine. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled a self-inking quill out and grabbed a napkin from the table. On it, he scrawled an address to a flat. "That's where I live," he told Severus. "Come by today sometime after five. I'll be home."

He nearly grinned, thrilled at this small victory. However, his joy quickly faded as he remembered that he had plans tonight with his family. Even so, Severus picked up the napkin and tucked it away in a pocket of his daks. He'd make this work, somehow. Severus didn't want to possibly ruin this chance for reconciliation by telling Rowan to pick another time. "Thanks, see you soon, I guess," he said.

Rowan replied, "Yeah. Tell Milly I had to leave for a meeting." And, with that, he turned around and left the canteen.

When Milly came back with two plates of pudding a minute later, she looked around, confusion clear on her face. "Rowan…?"

"Had to go," Severus replied between sips of his water. "He said he had a meeting."

She deflated as she sat back down. "Oh," she whispered.

"Don't look so down," he told her. "I'm supposed to meet up with him at his place tonight."

"Oh?"

Severus nodded. "Yup." He grinned, "You did good, Milly. Thanks."

The young woman beamed. "You're welcome!" she replied before digging into her pudding. A moment later, Severus did the same and for the first time that day, the two of them fell into easy conversation about nothing and everything.

-o-O-o-

Jesse was frowning as he laid out the outfits he had picked out for them and Leo to wear tonight to the play Severus's mother had bought them, herself, and Aunt Edie tickets to. "Really, Severus?" he demanded as he went over to the dresser to pick up his brush to run through his thick, wavy locks which Severus adored playing with when they were cuddling in bed or on the sofa.

"I know, I'm sorry," he replied. "I… Got caught up, I guess. He was agreeing to discuss everything and I didn't want to jeopardize that."

His boyfriend just glared at him as he tore the brush through his hair. "Uh-huh."

"Look, I can go over right at five! The play isn't until seven-thirty. It'll give us a couple of hours to discuss things and plenty of time for me to get him to agree to talk more through letters once we head back to Straya."

Jesse's glower let up a little and he sighed heavily before putting his brush down. "You better meet us at the theater no later than seven thirty or so help me, Severus Snape…"

He swept forward and pressed a kiss to Jesse's cheek. "How did I ever get so lucky to find a boyfriend as amazing as you?"

His soon-to-be-fiancé rolled his eyes and gave him a light, playful push. "Yeah, yeah. Don't make me regret this, babe."

"I won't, I promise," Severus swore, swooping in to steal another kiss, which Jesse returned this time. They probably would have done a little more than kissing, but the door to their bedroom opened with a bang and in ran Leo, laughing and screaming, Aunt Edie on his heels with her hands in the air and teeth bared as she roared.

"Don't let the dragon get me, Daddies!" Leo howled.

Separating, the two of them shared a brief look of disappointment before plastering on my big smiles to join Leo and Aunt Edie in their game.

-o-O-o-

Severus ran his hand over his hair to smooth it down as he came to stand in front of the door that should belong to Rowan's flat. Taking a deep breath, he fixed a smile on his face and knocked twice. A minute later, the door opened to reveal his brother. "Hey, mate," said Severus, relieved. It was awful to admit, but he'd been a bit worried Rowan may have possibly given him a fake address to get away from him in the canteen.

His brother stepped back and ushered Severus in, all the while saying, "Again, I'm surprised you'd still call me a mate after all of these years."

Severus cringed when Rowan turned his back on him briefly to close the door. "Sorry," he replied. "It's a bad habit of mine. I call most people I know well mate back in Straya."

Rowan just raised an eyebrow before gesturing for Severus to follow him into an adjacent room, the lounge room, Severus quickly realized upon spotting the sofa and armchair positioned around a rug. Rowan went and took a seat in the chair and pointed at the sofa, indicating Severus should sit down too. Reluctantly, he did so. Perched uncomfortably on the edge of one of the sofa's cushions, he turned his head to look at Rowan and asked, "Ah, how was work?"

His brother crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. "Fine," he answered just when Severus started to believe he wouldn't get an answer.

Following Rowan's short answer, he mumbled, "So…"Only to fall quiet upon realizing he didn't know what else to say when Rowan was scowling so intently at the room's rug. Severus decided to let silence reign until Rowan was ready and, to amuse himself, turned his attention to his surroundings. The lounge room was quite sparsely furnished and decorated, he noticed. There was this corner with the seating and on the other side there was a small desk with a matching chair. On the desk sat a wireless and to the right of the desk, a bookshelf stuffed with mostly texts from their school days and a few extra on Goblins rested. He hadn't asked either Rowan or Milly what his brother did exactly at the ministry, but Severus thought he could guess now. He probably worked for the Goblin liaison department. If Severus turned his head around slightly, he could see on the wall behind them were a handful of framed pictures hung there. One looked to be of Rowan's graduating class at Hogwarts, another of when he and Ash were small and then—

"You knew all along, didn't you?"

Severus's gaze snapped back to Rowan. "What?" he murmured, trying to process what his brother had just accused him of. When it did, he asked, with the intent to clarify and defend, "That your father is mine too? Please, Rowan, I'm not _that_ good."

Rowan's eyes narrowed and he grumbled, "Long enough, then."

He sighed, a feeling of weariness overcoming him. "Sure, I knew a while," agreed Severus. "I deserved some answers after Mum acted like a madwoman in the Quidditch shop to get me away from you and your family," he told Rowan as he recalled that odd day from his youth with some sadness, but fondness too. While it had been a shock to learn his true relation to Rowan and Ash that day, it had also been quite exciting to find out his new, already loved, mate was so much more than just a mate.

"But not me? I didn't deserve to know anything?" Rowan growled.

He shook his head and tried to reach over to place a hand on his brother's knee only to have it knocked off by Rowan's own. "Rowan…"

"No!" his brother roared, rising to his feet. "You told Chetan and you two had hardly been aware of each other's existences a _year_ and we'd been mates for ages!"

Severus wasted no time jumping up from the sofa he'd been perched on and shouted back, just as impassioned as Rowan, "He was being a jealous prick, I thought I could fix the issue if I told him!"

Rowan balled his hands in fists and leaned in so close they were nearly nose to nose as he hissed, "Well, it didn't, did it?"

He did not flinch away. Instead, he whispered, "No." Taking a step back then, Severus took a moment to regain his composure before he asked, "How did you find out? Chetan? Your father?"

"No one," his brother replied. "I found an old letter from your mother to my father in a book he had in his library. It explained everything." Turning away from Severus, he walked toward the wireless on the room's desk and switched it on. The volume was set too low for Severus to make out what was being said, but from the tone and the voice's steadiness, what appeared to be playing was some kind of news show. Rowan sat in the desk's chair and began to fiddle with the wireless's knobs, flipping through a multitude of channels and static. With his back still to Severus, he said, "The rest of the book had pictures of you tucked between its pages, most of them looked like they were ripped right out of mine and Ash's old yearbooks, but there was this one, I imagine you couldn't have been older than five in it, of you going down a slide at a park. The strange part was this picture of you was ripped on one side and only a third of the size it should have been. It only took a short time for me to realize what the rest of the picture should have shown. Me, Ash, maybe my mother too."

His brother stopped playing with the knobs and the room filled with the quiet sound of The Bent-Winged Snitches singing. Severus, heart pounding and mind spinning, whispered, "Mum said he wanted nothing to do with me."

"Oh, I'm sure he didn't," agreed Rowan, voice muffled by his hands. "I only remember a little of Grandmother Violet, but her family disowned her sister for involving herself with a half-blood. I can only imagine what she would have done if she felt like she'd lost her only son to a dirty half-blood after losing so much of her wealth, reputation, and family to your side in the war already. I'm sure my father was terrified of what she'd do if she found out about you." He let loose a laugh that sounded much too like a sob for Severus's comfort. "I bet he gave your mum a really good scare to keep her and you as far away from him as he could."

Rowan looked over at his shoulder at him, eyes wet and red. "It explained so much when I found out, you know? My father had always… It was always like he was looking for someone else when he saw us. Mother just tried to tell us the war had left him a little scarred, but I _knew_ there was more and then, I found what that more was when I was sixteen looking for another reference for my summer arithmancy essay."

Severus stared at Rowan for the longest time. When he finally found the words he'd been looking for, he asked, "Did you ever tell your father?"

"No, what would it have accomplished?"

" _Anyone_?" he asked.

His brother buried his head in his hands. "No!"

He stepped forward and put a hand on Rowan's shoulder. "Oh, Ro," he murmured.

Instead of jerking away as he had earlier at his touch, Rowan leaned in and put one of his own hands on top of Severus's. "I wanted to write you, but after what happened, I just didn't know _how_."

Severus crouched down and pressed a kiss to his brother's temple. "Oh, Ro," he whispered again. "I'm so sorry, I should have tried harder to reach out, write to you, visited Britain to try and see you…" He squeezed his brother's hand. "I can only imagine how hard it was for you to deal with the revelation all on your own. I had Mum, Aunt Edie, Teddy, and even Uncle Harry around if I needed them."

Rowan sniffled and wiped his eyes with the back of his free hand. "It's okay," he said, meeting Severus's gaze for the first time without any anger lurking in it. "You're here now."

Warmth for his brother spread through Severus. He was under no illusions, what was to come would not be easy, but he did feel confident that he and Rowan could repair their relationship. Someday, they would be the brothers Severus always dreamed they would be.

* * *

 **Thoughts?**

 **Thank you all so much for reading!**


	14. December 24th, 2021

_Always Gold_

* * *

Severus hummed along to the Christmas carol playing on the wireless as he put the finishing touches on dinner's roast ham. Once done, he stepped back and mused how much easier putting together Christmas Eve dinner was without a little kid running around the kitchen demanding to help him. As dearly as he loved Leo, Severus wouldn't lie, he was glad the boy's mum had him for Christmas Eve this year. His attention was drawn away from his thoughts when his mum's head popped around the doorframe of the dining room. Smiling, she said, "Severus, Jesse needs you to get the champagne flutes from wherever it is you put them after last year. They aren't in the hutch with the rest of the dinnerwear."

"Of course," he replied as he went to grab the rag by the sink to clean his hands. "I think they're in the cabinet above the cooker." However, just as he was about to reach up and open the cabinet, he heard the Floo flare to life across the hall. "Ro!" Severus exclaimed, excited.

His mum sighed and walked into the kitchen. "I'll get them," she said. "Go welcome your guest."

Severus pressed a kiss to his mum's cheek as he passed her on his way out of the kitchen. "Thanks, Mum."

She patted his shoulder before turning to the cabinet and pulling out her wand to bring down the glasses safely.

The grin ran away from Severus's face as he walked into his home's lounge room to find it wasn't just Rowan inspecting his family's Christmas tree as he waited patiently next to the fireplace, but a big, broad-shouldered man linked arms with a tall, slim woman waiting with his brother too. "G'day…?" he said.

Rowan, the man, and the woman turned together and he relaxed slightly when he recognized the man's face. It'd been years, but he'd know those eyes anywhere. It was Ash, Rowan's— _Their_ younger brother.

"Uh, 'lo?" offered Rowan, head tilted downward in his sheepishness.

Smiling once again, he moved forward to hug his brother. "It's good to see you!" he said. Turning to Ash and the woman, he offered them both his hand to shake as he remarked, "I see you've brought Ash and…" he trailed off a moment and tilted his head as he considered the model-like beauty before him. Severus couldn't be sure, but given the way she was clutching Ash, he said, "Ash's girlfriend? The one Milly told me about? Or…" he stopped again, grinning as he came up with a way to lighten the mood of the three. "You wouldn't happen to be _Ro_ 's sheila, would you?" he teased.

A look of outrage flashed across Ash's face. Severus took a step back, which made the woman sigh and place a hand on the youngest brother's chest. "Ash," she chided, "he's having a bit of a laugh, don't frown so." In response, the other man relaxed a little. Seemingly satisfied with this, the woman took the hand he was still holding out for one or both of them to shake and said, "Hello, I am Ash's girlfriend. My name is Matilda. Matilda Roper. It's nice to meet you properly. You probably don't remember me from Hogwarts, I was only a second-year when you graduated…"

Upon hearing Matilda's name, a flurry of memories came back to him. Mostly of a coltish-looking girl with freckles singing with Hogwarts's frog choir at Christmastime. "No, no, I do," Severus reassured. "You were a part of the Frog Choir, weren't you? Professor Flitwick gave you a part in the Christmas duet that last year I was at Hogwarts! You had a very lovely voice, by the way."

Matilda's cheeks turned a rosy pink as she leaned into Ash and rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," she said.

He smiled at her a moment. Then, realizing they'd been in the lounge room too long for a basic welcome and that his mum and fiancé were probably going to come looking for them any moment, he said with a burst of energy, "Don't just stand there by the fireplace! Come in, come in! Here, give me your robes. I'll put them on the hooks by the door. Jesse's finishing off the last of dinner in the kitchen— It's just across the hall here."

Ash and Matilda were startled into shedding their robes and handing them off to Severus. Then, at his continued urging, followed him out into the hallway where he then pointed the two into the kitchen before going to hang their robes at the door. As he did so, Rowan followed close behind, slipping out of his robe as he whispered, "I'm sorry, they followed me from the hotel!"

Taking Ro's robe from him and hanging it up next to Ash's, he said, "That's what happened, huh?"

His brother nodded. "They just showed up at my room this morning. I think Milly must have mentioned I was coming to Australia for Christmas to her boyfriend's sister who said something to Matilda."

Severus stared at Rowan. There was an anxious furrow to his brows and he looked a little pale and scared. Well, he couldn't allow that. Especially since it appeared it wasn't Rowan's fault they now had two additional guests. Putting on a smile he clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder and said, "Ah, no worries. We've got plenty of food."

As they head toward the kitchen, Rowan said, "I did try to shake them off. They were insistent on joining me for dinner. I think they were afraid I was going to some greasy pub to eat dinner alone or something."

Severus looked over his shoulder at his brother and asked, "Did Ash forget Straya's my home? You could have been meeting me all along!"

Rowan looked to his feet and stopped. "I think that's what they were fearing most of all."

"I see," said Severus as he pursed his lips. He'd always wondered if he could have a close, loving relationship with Ash like he had with Rowan and it was starting to sound like that wouldn't be the case.

Tentatively, Rowan put a hand on Severus's arm and drew his attention to him. "The year after you left was a rather bad one for me, I'll admit," he said only to sigh and put a hand on the back of his neck and look away. "As was the next. Truthfully, I've been digging myself out of a pit since we lost touch and I found out we're actually—"

"Severus!" Jesse shouted in a faux-whisper, cutting off Rowan.

The two of them twisted around to face the other man. It was clear to Severus that his fiancé was not pleased, unsurprisingly. Taking a deep breath, he mustered up a grin and glided forward to take both of Jesse's hands in his and clamp down hard so he couldn't pull away. "Hello, love," he said.

"I thought you said only Rowan would be joining us and your mother for dinner," he growled, eyes narrowed and jaw clenched tight.

Severus was about to tell Jesse what Rowan had said to him only minutes before when Rowan appeared next to him, pale once again, and clearly anxious as he said, "I'm sorry, Jesse, this is all my fault. I couldn't find it in me to say no when they asked to join me for dinner. I haven't had a Christmas dinner with my brother since I graduated from school."

Jesse frowned briefly before saying, "…It's fine. I made more to eat than we needed anyway." Severus's fiancé pulled his hands out of Severus's, turned, and walked back into the kitchen.

"He's quite cross, isn't he?" murmured Ro to Severus.

Jesse was cut. Severus knew he was going to have a Hell of a time making this up to his fiancé later. That, however, was not something his brother needed to worry about. Looking to Rowan, he said, "Jesse is a top bloke and I love him very much, but he's not much of a fan of plans going awry. Unfortunately for you, I used up most of his patience for it lately when we were in Britain last month and I kept dipping out to see Milly and you."

Rowan, head hanging low, said, "I see, well, I brought a bottle of Quintin Black for you two as a Christmas gift. Do you think that will smooth things over?"

Severus tapped his chin with consideration. Jesse wasn't particularly snooty about what he drank, but he still did appreciate and enjoy finer things when offered or gifted to him. He imagined it would be quite appreciated. Especially after today's dinner which Severus was sure was going to have its bumps. "It will help, yes," he agreed.

Rowan put a hand to his heart. "Thank Merlin."

He laughed before grabbing his brother's wrist and giving it a tug. "Come on, bro, let's join the party."

-O-

"How's everyone liking the food so far, hm?" asked Severus after fifteen minutes of near silence beside the sounds of utensils scrapping across plates. His and Jesse's guests began to raise their eyes from their food. Encouraged, he said, "Have you tried the prawns yet? It's a recipe from Jesse's family." His gaze went to his fiancé, who was glaring stubbornly at his plate. "It's excellent."

Severus nearly sighed with relief when he saw a smile flicker across Jesse's face. That was a good sign. If compliments were still working on his fiancé's, that meant Severus probably wouldn't be made to sleep on the couch tonight.

Matilda, who appeared to realize neither of the Montagues were going to answer Severus's questions, smiled at him. "It's very good, thank you for asking."

He grinned back. However, it was only for but a moment, as his attention was drawn to Rowan when he saw his brother reaching into the half-empty dish of prawns for more. He glanced at his roast ham (which was nearly whole!) and began to fuss, "Ah, ah, Ro, don't skip the ham! Mum and I made that."

The younger man froze with his hand on a prawn, eyes wide and uncertain.

His mum put down her fork and knife and cleaned her mouth. Good-naturedly, she chided, "Let the poor boy eat what he wants. That roast ham isn't anything special anyway. Cooking was never a specialty of mine and it isn't one of yours either."

"Mu-um," complained Severus.

Matilda cleared her throat, bringing his gaze back to her. She leaned in and said, "Severus, your mother mentioned you and Jesse are quite recently engaged. Do you have plans for the wedding yet?"

He bit back a groan. He hated talking about their plans. They hadn't really settled on anything yet and Severus wasn't a fan of all of the advice and suggestions that came with the admission. Even so, he kept his tone light as he answered, "Yes."

Jesse, realizing Severus wasn't going to say any more on the matter after Severus picked up his champagne glass, decided to take pity on Matilda who was looking increasingly unsure of herself. He told her, "We're debating between a wedding on the beach and one in my grandparent's garden. My grandmother has quite the green thumb and it's a beautiful place."

Matilda nodded. Eyes a little dreamy, she reached over to place a hand on Ash's wrist and said, "I think a wedding by the seaside sounds lovely." She glanced at her boyfriend, who gave her an almost imperceptible shrug, before continuing, "Ash and I, for fun, you know, have talked about where we'd like to marry if that day comes." She gave a good-natured smile as she rolled her eyes. "He's rather insistent we marry in the chapel his parents did…"

Ro scoffed. Between bites of carrots, he said, "Mother and Father only wed in the chapel because it was what Grandmother Violet wanted. I think they'd be more than happy to see you joined on the seaside."

Ash turned his attention to his older brother. He wore a contemptuous sneer as he said, "Is that so?"

The other man put down his fork and sighed. "Yes, Ash," he replied. "Mother told me once when we looked at her wedding album together."

Still glowering, Ash crossed his arms and demanded, "When was that?"

Ro began to run his fingers through his hair as he turned his gaze to the ceiling. Finally, he answered, "Years and years ago now. She'd brought out that album and all of the others when I asked for a picture of her and father to take with me to Hogwarts."

"Yeah?" said the younger. "It's a shame you don't talk to her anymore."

Matilda went rigid in her seat as she exclaimed, "Ash!"

Rowan was now glaring darkly at their younger brother. His teeth were bared as he hissed, "Forgive me for not feeling chatty with someone who's lied to us all our lives."

Ash stood up. Hands gripping the edge of the table, he yelled, "Lied to us? Mum's never lied! Not even when it came to Great Uncle Amycus and Alecto!"

Now on his feet himself, Rowan leaned over Matilda, who was seated between the two of them, and got in Ash's face and snarled, "That's what _you_ think."

"Okay!" Severus shouted, getting up and going around to put a hand on each of his brother's shoulders. He pushed down gently on their shoulders until they both sat down. Keeping his tone light, he said, "Enough of that. It's Christmas Eve. If you want us to discuss deep, dark family secrets, let's at least save it for after boxing day, aye?"

Ash scowled up at him, gaze irritated and suspicious. " _Us_?"

There was a quiet thump from somewhere beneath the table as Matilda whispered, "Ash! Shh!"

"Ouch!" he complained even as he did quiet down and return his gaze to his plate.

Severus smiled at the young woman. "Thank you, Matilda," he said as he went to sit back down himself. "I don't know how you put up with him."

Matilda's lip twitched as she replied, "He has his good qualities too."

Severus looked right at Ash and told him, "Marry her."

"Severus!" admonished Rowan, gaping at him.

He rolled his eyes at his brother. "Oh, don't look so scandalized, Ro. Ash's found himself a girl who not only calls him on shit, but defends him when we shit on him! That's the type of spouse everyone should aspire for."

Matilda was blushing and Rowan still looked a little scandalized, but Ash was cracking a true grin for the first time that night. "Is that why you're marrying Jesse?" teased the other man.

Severus laughed and looked over at his fiancé. "It's definitely one of the reasons," he answered.

Ash chuckled some more before he picked up his champagne glass and took a sip. He looked between them and asked, "I hope this is okay, which of you is the father to the little boy in the pictures we saw in the hallway? He looks quite a lot like you, Jesse, but…"

"He is mine," said Severus's fiancé. "Leo was, well, unplanned by me and his mother."

"Is that where he is now? With his mother?" Matilda asked.

Jesse nodded. "Yes. He'll be home tomorrow a little before noon to celebrate Christmas with us." Jesse looked at Severus, smiling. His eyes shone with anticipation as he remarked, "Tomorrow's actually going to be quite the Christmas for Leo. He's getting his first broom from Santa."

"How fun!" Matilda said, clearly delighted by their plan. "I remember when I got mine. It was for my seventh birthday from my grandfather. It was absolutely my top birthday until last year when Ash gave me my familiar, Tibby, this sweet little white fluffy half-kneazle kitten."

"I got my first broom at that age too," mused Severus's mother, eyes wistful. "My brother gave it to me."

"There's nothing like receiving your first broom, is there?" Matilda said.

"No, there isn't."

As the conversation continued onto everyone's first time flying their own brooms, Severus exchanged a look with Jesse. His fiancé looked quite content as the conversation went on around them. Severus himself felt rather pleased with how things were going now. He hoped there might be more Christmases like this in the future. It was nice to be sharing a meal with his brothers, his mum, and Jesse. He'd had many holiday meals growing up with his mum's family, but this felt different in a way. Maybe because it was a small affair centered around a dining room table. With his mum's family, holiday meals felt a bit like a party. Probably because it was always large and loud and people would be scattered across the home of whoever was hosting it. Snape family meals never just included his mum, cousins, their spouses, children and Aunt Edie. Often Uncle Harry, his family, and Teddy would be at them also. Sometimes other Weasleys would tag along as well and a number of times the Mulpeppers would be included too.

Severus glanced at Ash, who was laughing at something his mum had said. He wondered when would be a good time to reveal their true relationship to one another. He'd have to get Rowan alone later and ask. Maybe, if his brother agreed, they could tell Ash together before him, Matilda, and Rowan left for home. He only hoped Ash would take the news well.

* * *

 **Been a while! I hope you all liked this new chapter.**

 **Thank you for reading :)**


	15. January, 2022

_Always Gold_

* * *

Severus brought the soft light of his wand to hover over the face of his fiancé. Jesse was dead to the world, mouth slack and snoring ever so slightly with every breath. He moved his wand down Jesse's body slightly to find the back of Leo's head resting on Jesse's sternum. Affectionately, Severus reached down and combed his fingers through his kid's short locks. He didn't stir at all. The little boy had passed out on his father moments after 2022 started and it hadn't taken Jesse long to follow suit. To no one's surprise, really. Jesse had been woken up extremely early by Leo and hadn't been able to catch a nap, unlike their kid, with all the festivities going on today.

(Well, yesterday now).

"Oi, shine that light over here, would you?" Ro whisper-shouted from across the room. "I can't find my other shoe."

Severus was quick to oblige, the last thing they needed was for Ro to trip over it and make a bunch of noise that woke up Leo and Jesse. A grumpy Jesse and whining Leo would not be fun. With the help of the light from his wand, his brother soon found his shoe and pulled it on. Walking over to his side, Ro looked down on Severus's family and said, "Aren't they cute? You're a lucky bloke, Severus."

He smiled at Ro and said, "Don't think my luck isn't yours too, Ro. You're my family as well and that makes Jesse and Leo your cute brother-in-law and nephew."

In the wand's soft light, Severus watched his brother's face soften and a small smile turn up the corners of his lips. "You know, I thought I'd have to wait a few more years for a nephew or niece." He reached out and gave Leo's cheek a stroke. "I think I like this a lot more. I got to miss out on the nappies and worst of the tantrums."

Severus grinned and put a hand on the younger's back. "Oh don't count your chickens too soon, Ro, teens can have some _epic_ tantrums."

Silently, Ro chuckled. Severus, however, did not join him. Instead, he was washed over with a pensive feeling. Maybe there wouldn't be blood between them, but they were still going to be family, that expected niece or nephew and his Leo. Severus didn't want Leo growing up never knowing his cousin. To ensure that didn't happen, though, Ash needed to know their true relation. Soon, too, he reckoned, if he wanted them to be close by the time a baby came into the picture.

"Severus?" Ro whispered, squinting at him in the dark. "Are you okay?"

"I want to tell him," he blurted, turning his face toward his brother's.

Ro crossed his arms, an unease permeating his voice as he said, "Are you sure that's smart?"

Severus nodded. "He has a right to know."

There was a bout of silence followed by a relenting sigh. "He's leaving the day after tomorrow. I'd make it soon if you want to do it in person."

Severus frowned, confused. "Aren't you leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes. I think Ash has plans for himself and Matilda," Ro replied the white of his grinning teeth clearly showing in the dark.

He grinned in return. "Is that so?" he replied, waggling a brow at Ro.

The other stifled laughter behind his hand and looked away as he muttered, "Stop, he's our little brother."

Severus snickered and took a minute to help his brother gather up the last of his stuff before bringing down the floo powder from the fire place's mantle for Ro to use. As his brother took a handful of it, he asked, in a murmur, "…Do you think it'll go alright with Ash?"

Ro shook his head. "Merlin no!"

Severus looked away, shoulders slumping with preemptive defeat. "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."

Softly, hesitantly, his brother said, "He has the right."

"So you do agree?" he questioned, gaze snapping back to Ro, who looked pained.

"Regrettably," he answered.

Severus stared at his brother, not wanting him to leave now that it was time, but realizing there was very little he could do to keep him here. "I've missed you," he said instead of goodbye. Half-joking, half-serious Severus asked, "Have you ever thought about moving out here?"

Ro was smiling as he answered, "It's too hot."

"Psh," Severus grumbled, rolling his eyes. _Too hot_. That was better than _too rainy_ as far as he was concerned.

"…But I might make it routine to visit once or twice a year," he followed with when he realized that Severus was truly disappointed in his answer.

He felt a grin tug at his lips. "Aw, mate," he said before wrapping him up in a strong embrace. "That'd be aces!"

Ro squirmed. "Lemme go, you smell," he complained. When Severus wouldn't let him go still, he said, "Come on, I got to get some sleep before I have to leave in the morning."

Persuaded by his logic, Severus finally let him go. "See you, Ro," he said.

"Bye Severus, I'll miss you," his brother whispered back before throwing his powder into the fireplace and stepping into the flames with his hotel's name on his lips.

After Rowan left, Severus stayed by the fireplace, staring into the dying embers left behind by his brother. It took him turning it into a mantra playing on repeat in his mind, but Severus managed to convince himself this wasn't an end, but a beginning for them. This was their first holidays as brothers and there would be many more to come.

(Well, as long as Ash believed him when he told him tomorrow that they were brothers.)

-o-O-o-

He put on a wide grin when the hotel room's white door swung open, the "do not disturb" sign making a clatter by the handle. "G'day," he said when a very disheveled Ash appeared in the doorway.

His little brother pulled his dressing robe tighter around his middle and said, clearly shocked at his presence, "Severus?"

"Am I, ah, interrupting something?" he joked, trying to ease the awkwardness he now felt. Severus was starting to wish he hadn't decided to come so early to see Ash, but he'd been afraid if he came much later he would miss him altogether.

Ash scowled at him. "Oh, fuck you. Did Rowan give you my room number?"

Severus winced. "Yeah."

His little brother ran a hand through his hair in frustration before he grumbled, "Bloody—"

He talked over the other's swear to defend Ro. "I had to push," he told him. Looking away, Severus scratched his chin and muttered, "There's something I want to talk to you about…"

Ash gave a frustrated sigh before he leaned against the frame of the door, his arms crossed and eyes set into a tired glare. "This better be good, Snape," he said, "I have _big_ plans this evening."

Severus laughed uneasily. "Good might not be the best way to describe it, but, yeah, it's worth your time." He looked down the hall. "It's also something I'd rather talk to you about alone and sitting down if that works for you?"

His little brother sharpened his glare briefly, but when he saw that Severus was being honest, he nodded and pushed off from the doorframe. "Hang on," he said to Severus, looking behind him and presumably to the bed he and Matilda had been sleeping in before he knocked. "Let me go get dressed and let Matilda know what's going on."

He beamed, relieved that his brother was willing to listen to him. "Great, I'll just—" Ash, still not looking at him, closed the door on his face. Severus's shoulders slumped and he exhaled, murmuring to no one, "…wait here." He guessed he deserved that, didn't he? Severus had woken Ash at an unfairly early hour during his holiday.

-O-

Fifteen minutes later, Severus and Ash were seated on a bench outside of the hotel. Each was holding a cup of coffee as they stared at the early morning traffic happening in front of the hotel. As Severus sipped his drink and grimaced at the way it burned the tip of his tongue, Ash lowered his to rest on his knee. Turning his head to look at him, Ash asked, "So, what is it you wanted to talk about? Rowan?" Severus's little brother sighed and hunched himself over his lap, resting his chin on a fist. I know he's been kind of, well, _you know_ , but he seemed quite happy this week everything considered."

Severus shook his head and lowered his own cup of coffee to rest on his thigh. He could try drinking it again after it'd taken a little time to cool. Or a lot of time, he mused, depending on how this conversation went. Severus had never been put off by a lukewarm cup. "No," he said only to purse his lips and correct, "well, I guess _indirectly_ this will include him, but no." He took a deep breath before meeting his little brother's gaze. "Ash, you know from Ro I don't have a dad," he told him.

Ash rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the slowly growing traffic on the street. His mouth was pulled into a sneer as he said, "I have eyes of my own, thanks. I saw it just fine for myself it was just you and your mum." The sneer began to shift into a frown. "What about him? Did he die in the war?" he asked. Finally, the frown turned to a horrified gaping mouth as he snapped his attention back to Severus, eyes horrified. "Bloody—" he choked only to stop and swallow. "My uncle? Aunt? Did they…?"

"What," Severus said, perplexed for a brief moment before realization dawned on him. "No!" he decried. "It's not like that," he reassured his little brother. Running a hand down his face, he groaned, "Merlin, Ash…"

The horror ebbed from Ash's features and the flush of indignation brought color back to his cheeks. Grumpily, he demanded, "How did you think I was going to take that? You were the going on about how he doesn't have a father!"

" _In my life_!" Severus snapped back. "He exists! Blimey, Ash!" Realizing things were getting far too heated for the news he was about to drop on his little brother's head, Severus took a deep breath. "Okay, he said, "why don't we take a breather, aye, mate? I think we need to be calm when I tell you this."

Still glowering, Ash asked, "Tell me what?"

He shook his head. "Breathe, Ash. _Breathe_ ," he told him, putting a hand on the other's shoulder and demonstrating for him.

For a moment, Ash looked like he was going to argue, but then he sighed and began to breathe like Severus was until his shoulders turned loose beneath his touch. Looking less flushed and calmer afterward, Ash declared, "Okay, I've _breathed_. What do you need to tell me?"

Severus licked his lips. He'd given it some thought before coming, not to mention several times since he found out as a boy, how he was going to say this to his brothers, and Severus had decided it was best to be out with it as fast as possible. He could explain more from there. "Your father," he said, "he's my father too."

Ash stared a moment. Then, he blinked. Finally, he pulled away from Severus's hand and looked back to the street as he replied, "That's not possible."

Severus held back a sigh and tried to put a hand on Ash's shoulder again. "I know it's hard—"

His little brother shoved Severus's hand off his shoulder and whipped his head back around so they were face to face again. Angrily, he cut Severus off and growled, "—No, it's _not_ possible! _Your_ Mum and _my_ Father? She bloody renounced the Snape family during the war because she didn't want to even _pretend_ loyalty to the cause like your uncle!" Ash broke his gaze from Severus's and put his head in his hands, muttering, "And my dad, he was a— a—"

Softly, hesitantly, Severus supplied, "Death-Eater?"

Ash peaked at him through his fingers, a despondent light to his eyes. "I wouldn't go _that_ far…" he mumbled

Severus would. Hell, he'd go a lot farther. War criminal sounded pretty apt to him, young as he'd been, but he knew now wasn't the time. What did was getting across that they were related and that Graham Montague was indeed his father, just like he was Ash and Ro's. Resting his chin in his free hand, Severus looked out onto the traffic and said, "Yeah, well, there were some pubs during those times both frequented."

"Mum wouldn't have married a man who had a bastard with a _half-blood_!" Ash argued, still trying to deny the truth.

Severus gave a mocking laugh. "Careful, Ash, you're supremacist is showing."

His little brother turned bright red. "I'm not—" he started only to stop and sigh, defeated. "It's hard," he said, "they didn't ever say much growing up, but we caught on, you know? Not to mention I just don't want to believe you, but…" he trailed off and bit his lip, reminding Severus of Ro briefly. Ash and Ro had never been particularly alike, in spite of being brothers of the same parents and so close in age, yet in this small way, they were. Severus wondered if he and Ash shared anything as Ro and Ash did. Like he and Ro did. Maybe. Hopefully. He'd like for them to share something, no matter how small. It would make Ash feel like a brother in more than name.

Severus was drawn out of his thoughts when Ash whispered, "It makes sense. Dad was always distant. What better reason than because he was always thinking of you?"

He chuckled, earning himself a raised eyebrow from his little brother. Severus smiled and explained, "Sorry, it's just funny. Ro said the same thing. He thinks your dad's kept it secret from everyone. Mum said he threatened some very scary things when she told him about me after the war. Rowan thinks he was only trying to protect me because your grandmother Violet would not have stood to have a smudge like me on your family tree.

"I don't know what I think, but honestly? It doesn't matter to me. Mum, her family, Uncle Harry, and the Weasleys…" he stopped a moment, thinking of those who'd loved him, in spite of his heritage, and had played a part in shaping him into the person he was today. Many fatherless children had and would grow up wanting for a father, Severus knew, but he'd never been one of them. He had his family and friends back in England to thank for that. "They've been plenty," he continued, meeting his little brother's attentive stare. "I don't need him and never have," he finished.

"How didn't Ro ever say anything? When did he find out?"

Severus chewed the inside of his cheek for a beat. It might upset Ash, but it was better he told the truth instead of trying to lie about how long Ro had known. Fixing a lie would not be easy, especially for Ash, who was coming to grips now with his father having lied to him his whole life. "From what he told me, it's years ago now," Severus answered, "I guess he opened a book in your father's study and found some photos of me your dad put there? As for never saying anything…" he trailed off and sighed. There was going to be no easy way of saying this, he realized.

"Ash, you've always gotten on pretty well with your parents." Putting on a smile, Severus tried to keep his tone positive as he continued, "No surprise there, aye, mate? You'd make any parent proud, you're clever, you're confident, ambitious, take direction well…" Noticing there was a hint of a smile starting at the corners of Ash's lips, Severus gave his little brother a playful shove and chided, "Hey, now, don't get all puffed up on me!" The pleasure on Ash's face was replaced with embarrassment and Severus gave his little brother's shoulder a quick pat to let him know it was okay before he told him, "The point is, you've always been the, well, preferred son. Ro didn't want to ruin that for you, you're his little brother and he loves you."

After a few seconds, Ash replied, tone of that of snotty younger siblings everywhere, "Well, I don't care if I ruin our relationship. Dad's ruined everything by being a sneaky prick. I'm going to confront him when I get home."

Severus ran a hand through his hair and exhaled, disappointed. "I should probably tell Teddy I won't be meeting his kid when they're born this year, huh?"

Ash frowned, annoyed. "My father won't do anything to you," he said. "You're a _Snape_. More importantly, Severus Snape's nephew and namesake, not to mention your mum is mates with Harry Potter, and one of your aunts owns England's most successful chains of apothecaries. You're plenty safe if you want to come home."

Severus shook his head at the younger. Home? England wasn't his home. He gestured out at the world around him and said, " _This_ is home, Ash. Maybe I wasn't born in Straya, but I grew up here and it's the only place I'll ever want to be."

His little brother wrinkled his nose. "Really? It's so… _dusty_."

Exasperated, Severus demanded, "What is it with you and Ro? Insulting my home! If you two weren't my brothers…"

Ash looked up at Severus through his lashes. "Brothers?" he echoed. "You really think of us like that?

Severus nodded. Even before he'd known, Ro had felt like more than just a mate and as Ro's little brother, Ash had felt special to him too. "Yeah."

His little brother shook his head in disbelief. "Merlin, and here I've been thinking you were a git who abandoned my brother when you graduated."

Embarrassed at the mention of that mess, Severus quickly defended, "I didn't mean for that to happen. It was all one big misunderstanding between us, really. I've apologized to Ro. It's behind us."

"Good."

There was silence then and they each took a moment to sip at their coffees. After he'd drank at least a third of his cup, Severus looked at his little brother and said, "Hey, Ash? Good luck with your proposal tonight."

Ash's mouth fell open and he sputtered, "How—?"

Severus grinned into his coffee before answering, "I'd recognize that look you had on your face when you mentioned your 'big plans' this morning anywhere! I saw it on my own in the mirror before I proposed to Jesse."

A speculative air came to Ash's features. Looking at his coffee resting on his right knee, and then at the coffee Severus held in his hands, he said, "I guess it's to be expected, you'd recognize something like that on my face. We do share bits of it."

Severus grinned. "Aye, mate, we do."

Ash took a sip of his coffee. "Thanks, by the way," he mumbled.

Pleased at the gratitude, Severus nodded. "You're welcome."

-o-O-o-

"Raar!" Severus yelled at a squealing Leo before wrapping him up in a tight embrace and taking them both to the floor. "I've got you lil'wizard, what're ya going to do now?" he asked while tickling the boy's middle.

Leo shouted and bucked between giggles. "I'm gonna beat you!" he declared before wedging his little knee between Severus's stomach and himself and pushing down. Severus slackened his grip a little, wincing at the uncomfortable feeling of a bony knee jabbing him in the space just below his ribs.

"Ugh," he complained as Leo broke free with a cry of victory.

Laughing maniacally, the boy yelled, "Catch me! Catch me!" as he ran from the room. Severus rolled himself into a sitting position and was about to run after his kid when the floo flared to life.

Pushing himself to his feet, he yelled out to Leo, "Someone's calling! Hang on, kiddo!"

There was a whine of disappointment from what sounded like the kitchen, but Severus ignored it in favor waiting to see who's face was forming in his fireplace. A moment later, he cocked his head, surprised. "Ro?" he greeted. "What're you calling—"

"Ash is sleeping on my sofa right now," his brother said, cutting him off.

Severus frowned. Wasn't it early in the morning in England? Why would Ash be sleeping there and not at his and Matilda's or his parents'? Ro probably had all the answers, he knew. Though, if the unsettled expression he was wearing was anything to go by, Severus wasn't going to like the answer. Hopefully, no one was dead. Finally, Severus settled on saying, "He is, huh?"

Ro sighed and then nodded, a sadness turning down the corners of his mouth."I guess he decided to confront our father tonight about you and it didn't go well."

Severus's chest panged with sympathy. He could only imagine what it'd been like for Ash, trying to get the truth of a seasoned liar like their father. And how awful it must be for Ro right now, trying to pick up the pieces of their brother. "Aw, mate, I'm sorry."

Expression becoming even more distressed, his brother told Severus, "He's got a black eye. I don't know what he said to our father to make him _punch_ him, but he must have really struck a nerve."

"I'll say," Severus agreed, "our father's type isn't for using their hands."

Ro looked away from him. "Severus, I don't know what's going to happen now," he admitted in a whisper. "What _to do_ now."

Severus wished there was more he could do for his brothers right now, but he couldn't. He was just too far away. So, instead, he told Ro what to do for Ash, "You're going to take care of our little drongo brother and give Matilda a floo call to let her know her fiancé is relatively okay." His fingers itched for his calendar, but Severus knew everything on it could be shifted around for him to leave and go and deal with what was happening in England.

It wouldn't be easy, but he'd find a way to make it work. Family came first, always. That's what Mum had taught him and what her brother and Aunt Edie had taught her. He was going to make sure his little brothers knew the same. "I'll talk about traveling up to England for a few days with Jesse when he gets home," he promised Ro. "I reckon he won't be too happy about me springing this on him, but he'll understand. Just hang in there a bit longer there, okay, Ro?"

There was palpable relief to his brother's tone as he said, "Okay."

Severus nodded, smiling. "Good, I'll see you soon, mate."

Ro smiled back. Then, with some hesitation, he asked, "Severus?"

"Yes?"

His brother mumbled, "I love you."

For a brief moment, Severus was stunned. Then, a wide grin split across his face as he felt his chest warm with the knowledge his little brother loved him like he loved Ro and Ash. Severus wished he could hug his brother, but that just wasn't an option right now. Instead, he said, imbuing it with all of the adoration he felt for Ro, "I love you too, little bro." Putting his fingers to his lips, he kissed them before he held them out to Ro. "Stay safe."

Ro returned the gesture. "You too," he said before ending the call.

Severus stood in front of his fireplace a while after, basking in the feeling of being a well-loved and trusted brother. He would have even longer, he thought, if it weren't for a pair of little arms snaking around his middle and a tiny, whiny voice saying, "You're done talking to Uncle Ro, come play, Sevvie."

The last thing he wanted to do was play with Leo like there wasn't anything wrong, but Severus knew his kid wouldn't understand. So, he grabbed Leo by his arms and swung him up over his shoulder. "What shall we play now?" he asked Leo as the little boy laughed at being tossed around. In another hour, maybe two, Jesse would be home and then he could let himself worry and plan. For now, he had to be the good, attentive dad Leo deserved, as he swore to himself and Jesse he would be.

* * *

 **This is the end, how did you like it?**

 **Thank you all very much for reading :)**


	16. January, 2022 cont

_Always Gold_

* * *

Severus was a little surprised by how happy Ash looked when he walked into Ro's flat. His youngest brother practically bounced up from the sofa in Ro's lounge room to greet him. "Severus," he said, "I did it. I confronted Father for what he did to you, to _us_."

He just reached out to touch the traces of the black eye that remained on his brother's face. "Was it worth it?" he asked.

Ash batted away his hand. "Of course!" he snapped. "He was a two-faced hypocrite and they _always_ deserve to get called on their shite."

"Ash, watch it," Ro said walking into the room with a tray of tea following behind him. "I know you're cross with Father, but if you keep talking about him like that… You're just going to feel even worse when you calm down." He smiled at Severus as he lowered the tray to the coffee table. "I made white tea, that's still what you like, right?"

He felt his chest warm at the words. Ro, even after their years of estrangement, still recalled which tea he preferred. "Yeah, mate," he replied.

Ash, whose mouth was twisted sourly, grumbled, "It's not _my_ favorite."

Ro rolled his eyes and gave Severus a look that seemed to say, 'ugh, little brothers.' Before facing Ash and saying, "No, and since I'm not a café, you will have to make do."

Severus's youngest brother huffed before he levitated a cup of the tea into his hands, grumbling about Ro beneath his breath. To himself, Severus laughed. Ash really was still the boy he remembered. Righteous and a little spoiled.

"So Severus…" murmured Ro. "How do we fix this?"

"Fix _what_?" Ash said.

Severus sipped his tea and thought about how to answer. "Well, your relationship with your father. Though, I'm sure your mother has some complaints too…"

Ash's brows shot up. "Why in Merlin's name would I want to do _that_?"

"I don't know, Ash, perhaps because they are our parents?" Ro snarked, sitting down next to Severus on the sofa, his own cup of tea in hand.

"I don't need them! They're liars and Father is a hypocrite!" argued Ash.

Ro frowned. "Ash, I understand you're upset. I understand the feeling that your whole life is a lie… I went through all of this too, except for the confronting part. It doesn't mean you have to cut them entirely out of your life or stop loving them." He splayed a hand across his chest and explained with palpable honesty for a Slytherin, "I keep my distance and don't tell them much about myself or life because of their issues, but that doesn't mean I don't care about them or I don't want a relationship."

Ash's expression was mulish in response to his brother's sincerity. "Why can't I decide those issues are why I _don't_ want a relationship with them?"

Ro looked a little unsure and looked to Severus, who didn't really know what to say. Yes, he thought Ash might be acting a little hasty to so fully want them out of his life, but if he really felt that the lie had done irrevocable damage to their relationship to the point they couldn't have one anymore… Well. Severus didn't think they could force anything. Nor should they. Ash was an adult and had a mind of his own.

Voice raised, Ro said, upset, "Their our parents. Family has a duty—"

"—Duty!" Ash yelled, cutting off Ro. "Come on, Rowan, why do they deserve our devotion? You know just as well as I that they weren't outstanding parents! Blimey, sometimes they were just _dreadful_." He pointed at Severus. "Just look at what Father did to him! He scared his mother off the bloody continent!"

Severus frowned, bristling. "He did not. England simply has too much heartache for her to want to live here. Your father may have had his part, but the war, Uncle Severus's death, cousin Lottie's, her parents… The United Kingdom has not been _good_ to Mum."

Ash scowled. "He was still dreadful," he grumbled, looking down at his lap.

"Yes," acquiesced Severus, "I am sure." He glanced at Ro, his brother looked unhappy, though there was a softness to his face that Severus thought might be understanding.

He quietly exhaled and considered his options. The kneazle was out of the bag for the Montague family, that much was clear. His brothers knew, he imagined Graham's wife knew too (Severus doubted Ash spared her when he confronted his father). Severus wondered if there wasn't something he could do for his brothers now that the secret had come to light. Perhaps start mending the rift between Ash, Rowan, and their parents. Or at least try. If he did, maybe then Ro could accept Ash's total estrangement from their father and mother even if it didn't work out.

He knew that if Ro couldn't come around, the two were very likely to become estranged themselves and Severus didn't want that. He wanted more Christmases like the one they just had. He wanted Leo to know his uncles, soon-to-be-aunt, and any cousins that might be born in the future.

"Ash, Ro," he called, drawing their troubled, but curious gazes to him. "What do you need, Ash, to maybe give your father a chance to have a relationship with you?"

Ash snorted. "An apology for starters," he said. A shyness pinkened his ears and he looked away. "And… For him to just say he's happy I'm his son once in a while would be nice. He wouldn't even have to say those words exactly, just, you know, give some kind of indication he actually _likes_ me and Ro would go a long way."

"Ash," Ro murmured, voice gentle, "he _does_ love you. He was always telling me to be more like you and make some mates and be more assertive."

"Yes, well, he never said anything _to me_ ," snapped Ash, baring his teeth at Ro.

Severus got up and stood between the two. "Hey," he said. "Don't." Meeting Ash's gaze, he told his youngest brother, "If I pass along your message to him, will you give him one chance to make things right between you and him?"

His brother's face morphed into one of astonishment. "You would _do_ that?" Ash said while Ro cried out:

"No! That's a terrible idea!"

Severus turned to look at Ro and said, "Why? Didn't we already decide he probably doesn't hate me? That it was his mother he didn't want to know about me?"

"Grandmother Violet has been dead nearly thirteen years now…" Ash offered, almost speculative.

He nodded, satisfied. "See? This isn't going to be dangerous."

Ro still didn't look convinced, though, Ash appeared quite onboard with the idea. In fact, he was smirking. "This is brilliant!" he said, "it will prove if Father really does care for us. If he won't talk to you to earn the chance of speaking to us again then it proves there's nothing to try and salvage between us."

Severus smiled in agreement. "So it's decided? I'll talk to Graham for you two."

Ro sighed. "Okay," he relented. "Just… You're staying with Teddy and Victoire, right? Let them know before you leave for our parents' home. For everyone's sake."

"Of course," Severus said as he put a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder. "Say, where do your parents live? I've never been before."

-o-O-o-

Severus shook out his shoulders and hands. Breathed in and out. He could do this. _Had_ to do this. He'd promised his brothers. This was their one chance to fix things with their parents and keep the close bond between them. Squaring his jaw, Severus lifted his hand and knocked on the dark, austere door of the Montague family manor. The whole place, from the manor to the lawn, looked as if it'd seen better days. He imagined that the Montagues did what they could to keep it livable and presentable, but they were without a lot of money these days he knew. A lot of their fortune had dried up in the last war and they'd had trouble recovering it or making more with the reputation of being on the side of the Death Eaters. It didn't help that his father had married the niece of the infamous Carrow siblings.

People were, rightfully, he supposed, wary of the Montagues.

He stretched to his full height as he saw the doorknob turn. When it swung open, he was a little disappointed to see it was not Graham or a House Elf, but his brothers' mother, Hestia. She stared at him with sharp, judging eyes.

"You're Severus Snape's nephew, aren't you?" she said.

He blinked, surprised she recognized him. "Er," he replied, "yes."

Hestia's lips curled in a sneer. "What has brought you to my door."

"Your sons," he answered, resisting the urge to ball his hands into fists. He didn't want to give her any impression that he was a threat. No matter how small.

Something like hurt flickered across her face before it settled into an aggressive expression. "What about them?" she demanded.

Severus told her, "They sent me to talk to your husband, whom they blame the most for this falling out, about maybe patching things up."

Hestia begrudgingly moved aside. "Come in," she ground out. "I will let Graham know you are here to see him."

Severus stepped into the manor and was once again struck by it. Inside, it was far nicer. It seemed that even though the Montagues had decided to neglect the care of it outside, they had what they could to maintain its glory inside. Quietly, he walked around the small foyer, taking in the variety of family portraits in matching cherry-wood frames hung on the eggshell-white walls. One painting, in particular, an old woman with a small face and beady blue eyes, was giving him special consideration.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

Severus stopped and smiled at her. "Severus Snape," he replied.

"You are not," she argued, scowling. "He is a thin, black-haired man. I met him after an incident my grandson had with a vanishing cabinet."

"The second," he amended. "Sorry."

This appeared to settle the portrait briefly. "He had a son?" she asked.

He shook his head at her. "No, his sister did. I'm _her_ son," he explained. Then, looking away, muttered, "And your grandson's." At least Severus assumed it was Graham that was her grandson. He had a vague recollection about a story from his mother's schooldays involving a student and a vanishing cabinet his Aunt Edie had told him.

"Pardon?" she said, voice sharp.

"Sorry, it was nothing, uh…?"

"Vesta Montague," she said, turning her head and sniffing scornfully at him.

He rolled his eyes. "Right," he said. "Forgive me, Mrs. Montague."

"What are you doing?" Hestia demanded, coming into the foyer.

Severus turned around to face the woman. She was younger than his mother, younger than Uncle Harry too, yet she looked much older than both. He could think that a life as stressful as her own had prematurely aged her. "Sorry," he said, "Mrs. Montague asked—"

"Nevermind," she snapped, voice loud enough to drown out his explanation. "Come with me, Mr. Montague is waiting for you in his study."

Severus waved at Mrs. Montague, who dipped her chin in acknowledgment before he followed Hestia through her home and to a closed-door down a hallway on the second floor. She turned to face him and said, "He is waiting for you inside."

"Thank you," Severus replied.

Hestia only frowned before stalking away down the hallway, leaving Severus to let himself into the study. Before he did, he decided to knock, to tell Graham he was there.

No reply came from inside.

Severus sighed before he opened the door. Stepping into the study, he looked around with avid interesting. It was done up in a lot of rich shades of browns with accents of green and blue. Severus actually quite liked it. He could see himself doing a study up in similar colors if he was given the chance. He blinked, surprised by the realization. He had always imagined any shared traits between Graham and him ended with the physical since he'd been raised by his mother in Australia away from the worst of this Pureblood nonsense his father had been steeped in. Yet, somehow, in spite of so many differences between them in experiences, he still liked the same colors.

The sound of a clearing throat drew Severus's eyes to the left-hand corner of the room behind him. Looking back, he saw that Graham was sat behind a small, but ornate dark-wood desk. Severus walked toward him. "Hello," greeted, holding out his hand for Graham to take.

Instead, his father just stared at it. Slowly, Severus took it back. Looking around for a place to sit he mumbled, "Erhm."

Graham sighed and brought out his wand, waving it at a chair settled by the wall of bookshelves, it was pulled toward the desk, stopping just before it ran into Severus's leg. He sat down in it. "Thank you."

The man, his _father_ , stared at him, expression inscrutable. Nervously, Severus began to fidget with the sleeve of his robe. He didn't like this silence or the way he couldn't get any kind of read on Graham. Finally, he decided to try and offer a smile. "Sorry for just dropping in like this," he said, "I know you probably never wanted me in your home…"

"So you do know who I am," Graham said.

Severus blinked. "Yeah," he replied after a beat. "Mum told me years ago," he explained.

"And then you told my sons," the man concluded, expression dark.

He shook his head. "No, well, yes, but only Ash," he explained. "I don't know which book it is you have here with pictures of me hidden in it, but Ro found it when he was young and figured it all out."

Graham looked a bit shocked at his words, eyes snapping to the bookcase behind Severus. Likely to the exact book holding all of the pictures the man had of Severus. He itched to turn around and see which one it was the man was staring at, but Severus didn't. He knew better. He had to stay focused.

"As for Ash…" he continued. "Well, he followed Ro to Straya not quite a month ago and we, me and Ro, talked about it and decided it was only fair he knew too."

The dark look returned to Graham's face. "And now, my son has disowned me."

Severus crossed his legs and leaned in. "That was never what I wanted," he explained. "I just want to have a relationship with my brothers _as_ brothers." He didn't mention Jesse or Leo. Or how he wanted them to be able to know and love Ro and Ash for what they truly were. Severus didn't want Graham to know any more about him than absolutely necessary. This man was no father to him. He'd once said things so terrifying to his mother she, more than a decade later, wanted Severus as far away as possible from this man.

"Yet it is what happened," Graham sneered, leaning back in his chair, chin in one hand.

Severus nodded. He was right. It had happened in spite of what Severus wanted. "I know a way that you might fix it," he told him.

Graham's brows furrowed, a mixture of doubt and hope filling his eyes. Severus did not explain further, just waited for the man to admit he did not want his sons in his life. The man seemed to realize Severus was waiting for him after a minute of silence and exhaled, hand falling away from his face. Leaning in, he rested his arms on his desk, hands steepling, and demanded, voice low, almost despairing, "How?"

He'd gotten him. Severus smothered the smile tickling at the corners of his lips. Settling into his seat, he propped his arms on either armrest and said, "Ash didn't ask for a lot." He tilted his head. "At least it wouldn't be to anyone in _my_ family. Well, maybe it would have been something of a challenge for my uncle Sev—"

"Snape, get to the point," Graham broke in, voice gruff.

He cleared his throat, flushing a little. "Right," he said. "All Ash wants is to get an apology, for, well, _this_ ," he explains gesturing between the two of them. "He hates that everything he's known about his family feels like a lie." Severus gave a facsimile of a smile. "I can't say I blame him." He looked away then and continued, "And he wants you to verbalize once in a while that you actually _like_ him and Ro. He's not picky about how or when you do it, he just wants to know you do."

Graham's eyes were wide, almost disbelieving. "That's it?" he asked. "He doesn't… He doesn't expect more? For me to take you into the family? Tell the world that I had a bastard with Darla _Snape_?"

Severus almost rolled his eyes, but stopped short. He had a feeling Graham was used to people, family included, wanting to humiliate and hurt him. How he managed to raise two sons who didn't have that cruelty streak… Well, he'd heard his Aunt Edie say it before, some children become what they are _in spite_ of their rearing, not _because_ of it. Instead, he smiled. "No, why would he want that? You're his father, he _loves_ you."

That seemed to further startle the man. "He said that? Even after I…?"

Severus shook his head regretfully. "No, but it's pretty clear him and Ro does."

Graham buried his face in his hands, muttering, "Merlin…" between his fingers.

He looked away, uncomfortable. Watching surreptitiously glancing at the man now and again, Severus thought to say, "I don't hate you either, by the way. I mean, I don't _love_ you. I don't _know_ you. But I… I understand what you were trying to do for me, scaring off Mum like that when I was a baby. I don't know how much you thought of me over the years, though I think it's often enough if you keep a secret book of photos of me, but I grew up okay. There were heaps of people around who loved me plenty in your place."

Graham made a choking sound and Severus couldn't help it. Facing the man again, he reached out and brushed his hand against one of the man's own, which still covered his face. "Crikey, it's alright," he reassured him. "I get it. You feel like you've cocked us all up, but you _didn't_. You did okay and your sons are going to let you prove you can be even better."

The man removed his (now shaking) hands from his face and looked at Severus with red-rimmed eyes. "Tell Ash and Rowan to come home," he said. "I will apologize."

Severus let his lips curve in a smile and bobbed his head. "I will," he said, standing up and starting for the door.

"Severus…" Graham called just as he began to turn the study door's knob.

He looked over his shoulder at the man. His eyes bright as he said, "Thank you."

"Ah, it's nothing," he waved off. "I'd do just about anything for my little brothers." Cheekily, he added, "I'll see you around, Graham. Maybe Ash's wedding?"

The man's expression turned to one of shock and Severus could only snicker as he let himself out of the room.

* * *

 **I decided this really wasn't ended in a satisfying place and have written this chapter. There will be one more, which is a bit more of an epilogue-like chapter that will come out at a later date. How did you all like this chapter? Severus talking to Graham on his brothers' behalf?**

 **Thank you for reading :)**


	17. June 23, 2027

_Always Gold_

* * *

The wedding was beautiful. The sky was a light gray and the ocean a dull blue in turn, but it made Ash and Matilda stand out even more in their unconventional wedding outfits. Instead of the typical black dress robe, Ash had opted for A handsome brown with a green tie and Matilda had decided on a soft green lace dress instead of the usual white. As the officiant read their vows, the two grinned at each other and when he told them to kiss, they wasted no time smashing their lips together for a deep, passionate kiss that had Matilda winding her arms around Ash's neck and Ash wrapping his around Matilda's small waist.

Severus elbowed Leo when he started to make gagging noises. The cute little boy that he had fallen in love with was now a goofy, sometimes inappropriately so, preteen. Severus looked down at the top of his neatly combed head and realized he loved him all the more for it. He lifted his gaze to meet with Jesse's then. His husband's eyes were bright and lips smirking. Severus reached behind Leo to snag one of Jesse's hands and just hold it. Their own wedding a couple of years ago had been big. Expectedly so, with the size of Severus's family, but once you added in Jesse's, their mates, bosses and some of their coworkers… Severus had never been happier he was a wizard and not a Muggle than he had been then. They hadn't needed to rent a huge place, just a normal one and then use a half-dozen extension charms to make it roomy enough for everyone.

Severus then turned his eyes out onto the other guests and sought out Ro among the small, intimate crowd gathered for Ash and Matilda's wedding. It didn't take long to spy his brother. He was stood with the rest of the wedding party, Matilda's two bridesmaids, Becca Jordan, her mate, and, Olivia Meijer, Ash and Ro's American cousin. As Ash's usher, Ro was dressed quite similar to Ash, but his dress robe was a lighter shade of brown. One that suited his red hair much better than the color Ash was wearing, Severus thought. When his brother noticed his gaze, he wrinkled his nose at him and mouthed something that looked like it might be "Show offs!" Severus chuckled. He couldn't disagree with that assessment of the bride and groom.

He looked away then and quickly realized his gaze had settled on Graham. The man was dressed in a traditional black dress robe with a green waistcoat and black bow-tie. His wife, Hestia, in a sweeping gray long-sleeve dress hung onto his arm, blank face fixe d on her son and his new wife who were now holding hands, their kiss finished. He shivered slightly. Severus had seen the two a couple of times since he told Graham the conditions for him to have a relationship with his sons. Once, it had been at Ash and Matilda's engagement party. Another time, in passing at one of his cousin Esther's apothecaries when he was in England visiting Teddy and Victoire after the birth of their second child, Will. Every time, Hestia's face had been oddly neutral or outright disdainful. Severus knew she hated him, but kept it to herself. If only because she loved her sons more and knew they would pick him over her any day of the week.

Severus stiffened when Graham's eyes connected with his own. Ah, the man had realized he was staring at him. He flushed slightly, embarrassed. He hadn't meant to be caught… The man didn't appear bothered, however. Instead, he quirked his lips in a small smile and dipped his chin in acknowledgment. Severus blinked. Then, hurried to return it. Graham would never be his father. He would hardly ever be more than an acquaintance. Yet Severus wanted there to be no bad blood. He was the father of his brothers, he was working hard to be a good one to them too. Severus respected that and knew the least he could do was be polite.

His attention was suddenly drawn back to the newlyweds when Ash loudly cleared his throat. His youngest brother was pink and smiling as he said, "If everyone would please step over to Rowan, Olivia, and Becca, they have the portkeys to transport everyone back to Mother and Father's home, where the reception will be held in half an hour."

Severus didn't hesitate to guide his family toward Ro. His younger brother greeted him with a happy, "Finally, huh?"

"And when can we expect you to get married, hm?" Severus returned smiling.

His brother laughed. They both knew if Ro was ever going to marry, it probably wouldn't be for quite a while yet. He enjoyed his quiet, single life that let him come and go and do things as he pleased. Children were entirely out of the question for him too.

As a few others gathered around, namely a couple of mates of Ash's he invited, they started talking about other, less family-oriented things like Quidditch and the differences between an English beach and Australian one. Soon, they were all so at ease conversing with each other that when he stopped, they didn't notice. Severus looked out to the ocean and breathed in the slightly wet, salty air.

On days like these, he could hardly believe his life. When he was a kid, he had justed wanted to know who the other half who lent to his existence _was_. Now, he knew that other half. His sons, Severus's _brothers_ , were his family just as much as Mum, her family, Uncle Harry, his family, Teddy, his family, Jesse, Leo, and their family were. When he was ten, he could have never imagined this would be his life when he grew up. Now that it was… Severus grinned.

He would have it no other way.

* * *

 **And this is it! For real! How do you like this little glimpse not quite five years down the line? The way they're a family, if untraditionally?**

 **Thank you so much everyone for reading!**


End file.
